A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path
by WolfWriter123
Summary: Welcome to A Tale of Seven, a series following the seven clans of the valley. This is the first of possibly many series. Follow the apprentices of the clans, as they learn about mysteries and secrets hidden in their own camps. Danger's always lurking. - I don't own Warriors, Erin Hunter does. - AtoS A1, B1
1. Allegiances: The Clans

_**SpruceClan**_

 **Leader:** Ryestar- _silky-furred, long-legged white tom with black patches and light green eyes_

 **Deputy:** Hailmask- _large, sleek white tom with a gray mask around his blue eyes and a gray tail tip_

 **Medicine Cat:** Foxskip- _fluffy, fox-like tailed red tabby she-cat with two front white paws and light brown eyes (Sister of Oaktail)_

 **Warriors:** Oaktail- _muscular brown tabby tom with dark brown eyes (Brother of Foxskip)_

 _(Apprentice; Rosepaw)_

Tallhawk- _long-legged, folded ears black tom with white paws and pale blue eyes_

Leafthroat- _large shouldered pale brown tabby tom with light green eyes (Brother of Iceheart)_

 _(Apprentice; Tansypaw)_

Iceheart- _short-legged, fluffy white she-cat with a dark gray spot on her chest and dark blue eyes (Sister of Leafthroat)_

Birchtalon- _slender, long whiskers brown tom with wide, dark stripes and light amber eyes (Brother of Owlwing)_

 _(Apprentice; Wasppaw)_

Owlwing- _mottled brown tabby tom with a creamier underbelly and light amber eyes (Brother of Birchtalon)_

Smokespark- _former loner; fuzzy off-white tom with smoky dark gray points (such as muzzle, tail tip and paws) and dark green eyes_

Antwhisker- _thin red-brown tom with dark amber eyes that look a bit golden_

Amberfrost- _round light gray she-cat with white patches and light amber eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Snowpaw)_

Flyshade- _long-whiskered gray tom with a darker tail tip, lighter muzzle and green eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Flintpaw)_

 **Apprentices:** Wasppaw- _sleek, short-legged pale golden tabby with a white patch on his chest and pale amber eyes (Kit of Ryestar)_

Flintpaw- _former loner; fuzzy off-white tom with black points (such as muzzle, tail tip and paws) and dark blue eyes (Brother of Rosepaw, kit of Smokespark)_

Rosepaw- _former loner: pale creamy she-cat with dark green eyes (Sister of Flintpaw, kit of Smokespark)_

Tansypaw- _sleek pale tortoiseshell she-cat that is mostly light gray and has light green eyes (Sister of Snowpaw, daughter of Tangleleap and Owlwing) /1/_

Snowpaw- _fluffy white she-cat with a pink nose and odd red, pink-rimmed eyes (Sister of Tansypaw, daughter of Tangleleap and Owlwing)_

 **Queens:** Tangleleap- _fat grayish silver tabby she-cat with a lighter belly and light blue eyes_ (Nursing Hailmask's kits; Finchkit- _silky silver tabby tom with blue eyes_ , Snailkit- _black tom with amber eyes_ , Cloudkit- _fluffy white she-kit with light blue eyes_ )

Hollyleg- _sleek, slender black she-cat with pale green eyes_ (expecting Smokespark's kits in two moons)

 **Elders:** Flowerskip- _black and white she-cat with yellow eyes_

 _ **FallenClan**_

 **Leader:** Briarstar- _scrawny pale gray she-cat with a white underbelly, paws, muzzle and pale brown eyes (Sister of Brindlefoot and Sparkfern)_

 **Deputy:** Brindlefoot- _pale brown tom with thin, darker stripes and dark green eyes (Brother of Briarstar and Sparkfern)_

 **Medicine Cat:** Hawkspots- _muscular, large-pawed, clumsy white tom with light gray spots on his flank and brown eyes_

 **Warriors:** Poolfoot- _sleek blue-gray tom with a white-tipped tail and blue eyes_

Sparkfern- _fuzzy, tufted ears ginger she-cat with white paws, muzzle and green eyes (Sister of Briarstar and Brindlefoot)_

Shadepad- _very dark gray she-cat with dark amber eyes (Sister of Graybreeze)_

Graybreeze- _long-haired gray tom with darker stripes and dark blue eyes (Brother of Shadepad)_

Deerleap- _long-legged pale brown tabby she-cat with light green eyes_

Morningpelt- _plump pale ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes_

Newtfur- _scrawny gray tom with yellow eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Fuzzypaw)_

Featherfoot- _silky-furred silver tabby she-cat with white paws, underbelly and dark blue eyes_

Driftpuddle- _black tom with white patches and pale amber eyes_

Lightningshine- _long, slender pale ginger tabby tom with thin stripes and dark amber eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Volepaw)_

 **Apprentices:** Volepaw- _short-haired gray tom with yellow eyes (Brother of Fuzzypaw, kit of Newtfur) /2/_

Fuzzypaw- _fuzzy, short-legged gray tom with light green eyes (Brother of Volepaw, kit of Newtfur)_

 **Queens:** Sparrowtail- _mostly black tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes_ (Nursing Graybreeze's kits; Kestrelkit- _red-brown tom with yellow eyes_ , Spottedkit- _white tom with black spots and blue eyes_ )

Poppyjump- _sleek pale brown tabby she-cat with green eye_ s (Expecting Lightningshine's kits in three moons)

 **Elders:** Berrystrike- _fluffy creamy tabby tom with dark green eyes_

Brownlight- _fat, short-legged dark brown tom with pale brown eyes_

 _ **SullenClan**_

 **Leader:** Spiderstar- _large, long-tailed, long-clawed dark ginger tabby tom that's mostly white, from his face down to his paws, and light amber eyes_

 **Deputy:** Marigoldflight- _slender, scarred tail light ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes (Sister of Thistlefeather, Nettlepool and Shiningscar)_

 **Medicine Cat:** Beefrost- _large-earred pale golden tabby with pale amber eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Goldenpaw)_

 **Warriors:** Thistlefeather- _large light gray tom with a white patch, white paws and pale yellow eyes (Brother of Marigoldflight, Nettlepool and Shiningscar)_

Nettlepool- _spikey-furred off-black she-cat with a lighter underbelly and dark yellow eyes (Sister of Marigoldflight, Thistlefeather and Shiningscar)_

Shiningscar- _large-earred, glossy-furred pale ginger tabby tom with pale yellow eyes and a large scar on his shoulder (Brother of Marigoldflight, Thistlefeather and Nettlepool)_

Timberstrike- _thin, small-eyed brown tabby tom with darker stripes and dark green eyes_

Wolfspring- _spikey-furred, small-pawed gray tom with a broad chest, a lighter patch of fur on his chest and bright yellow eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Fennelpaw)_

Dappleburr- _bright pale tortoishell she-cat with mostly light gray and one blue eye, one brown eye_

Sedgesplash- _scrawny dark gray tom with patches of lighter fur and dark yellow eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Sorrelpaw)_

Twigstripe- _scrawny, boney, thin pale brown tabby tom with darker stripes and dark green eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Darkpaw)_

Heatherheart- _sleek pale off-gray tabby with bright green eyes (Sister of Fennelpaw, Sorrelpaw, Goldenpaw and Darkpaw)_

Wetcloud- _plump white tom with a light gray belly, chest, front paws and light yellow eyes_

 **Apprentices:** Sorrelpaw- _orange-ginger she-cat with a white tail tip, paws and yellow eyes (Sister of Fennelpaw, Heatherheart, Goldenpaw and Darkpaw) /3/_

Fennelpaw- _round light off-gray tabby tom with a creamier belly and pale yellow eyes (Brother of Sorrelpaw, Heatherheart, Goldenpaw and Darkpaw)_

Goldenpaw- _small-earred, short-furred golden tabby she-cat with white paws and bright amber eyes (Sister of Sorrelpaw, Fennelpaw, Heatherheart and Darkpaw)_

Darkpaw- _long-haired dark dark black tabby tom with black stripes and dark amber eyes (Sister of Sorrelpaw, Fennelpaw, Heatherheart and Goldenpaw)_

 **Queens:** Quilcloud- _round, fat gray tabby she-cat with dark stripes and light green eyes_ (Nursing Timberstrike's kits; Minnowkit- _long-legged, silver tabby tom with dark yellow eyes,_ Havenkit- _sleek, glossy-furred white tom with black on the top of his head and his tail tip only, and bright yellow eyes_ )

Jaymoon- _former kittypet; pale blue-silver tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes_ (Expecting Spiderstar's kits in three moons)

 **Elders:** Oldfoot- _stumpy tailed pale brown tom who's loosing fur and has light yellow eyes_

 _ **BrokenClan**_

 **Leader:** Copperstar- _skinny, but large, scarred bright brown tabby tom with thick, jagged stripes and brown eyes (Father of Sniffnose and Wildmask)_

 **Deputy:** Wishwing- _sleek, fluffy-chested white she-cat with faded gray points, patches and pale blue eyes_

 **Medicine Cat:** Sniffnose- _fluffy, skinny mostly black tortioseshell tom with a white tail tip and dull amber eyes (barren) (Brother of Wildmask, son of Copperstar)_

 _(Apprentice;_ Leaftail- _long-legged, scraggy pale brown tabby she-cat)_

 **Warriors:** Wildmask- _tortoishell and white she-cat that's mostly white with gray and orange patches and leaf-green eyes (Sister of Sniffnose, daughter of Copperstar)_

 _(Apprentice; Fidgetpaw)_

Palefox- _large pale creamy tom with a bushy tail and amber eyes_

Frogfur- _long-legged pale off-brown tabby tom with dark green eyes (Brother of Ashfall, son of Heavycloud and Olivebranch)_

 _(Apprentice; Ferretpaw)_

Ashfall- _sleek gray speckled tabby she-cat with peircing light green eyes (Sister of Ashfall, daugher of Heavycloud and Olivebranch)_

Heavycloud- _big-pawed, long-haired dark gray tom with darker, thicker stripes and dark blue eyes_

Olivebranch- _sleek, slender pale spotted creamy she-cat with pale green eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Longpaw)_

Newtskip- _scrawny, boney gray tom with black patches and dark green eyes_

 **Apprentices:** Fidgetpaw- _former rogue kit; small, curly-furred light gray and white patched she-cat with yellow-rimmed amber eyes /4/_

Ferretpaw- _large-eared silver tabby tom with dark green eyes (Brother of Longpaw, son of Ashfall)_

Longpaw- _long-tailed, spikey-furred dark silver tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes (Sister of Ferretpaw, daughter of Ashfall)_

 **Queens:** Spottedstem- _long-tailed tortoiseshell and white (mostly orange) she-cat with light green eyes_ (Nursing deceased tom's kits; Buzzardkit- _fluffy dark dark brown tom with dark green eyes,_ Antkit- _long-legged bright brown with darker paws, tail tip and bright amber eyes,_ Cherrykit- _plump tortoiseshell and white {mostly orange} she-cat with light green eyes_ )

 **Elders:** Chillywind- _scrawny, skinny, scarred white tom with gray points and pale blue eyes; going deaf_

 _ **PondClan**_

 **Leader:** Lizardstar- _broad-shouldered, ragged dark off-ginger brownish tabby she-cat with dark amber eyes_

 **Deputy:** Mallowtooth- _meak, spikey, long-haired blue-gray tom with dark blue eyes_

 **Medicine Cat:** Heronburr- _long-haired dark gray tom with a lighter face, chest, belly, bottom of paws and bright yellow eyes_

 **Warriors:** Greenleap- _slender, long-legged dark gray tabby tom with dark green eyes_

Perchmist- _small-eared dark silver tabby tom with pale yellow eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Puddlepaw)_

Sedgeheart- _large, muscular dark gray long-haired tabby tom with a lighter underbelly and light, night sky-blue eyes_

Duskspirit- _dark gray tom with darker black stripes and dark yellow eyes_

Vixenspot- _spikey-furred dark ginger she-cat with white patches and dark green eyes_

Honeycloud- _plump, silky-furred bright brown she-cat with a white tail tip and light amber eyes_

Benjamin- _former kittypet; black and white tom with dark blue eyes_

Zuzie- _former kittypet; slender dark brown she-cat with a white spot on her chest and pale yellow eyes_

Heatherbird- _long-legged very pale brown tabby she-cat with darker stripes and bright yellow eyes (Sister of Willowchill)_

Ivyblaze- _long-tailed white tom with a gray-tipped tail and bright blue eyes_

 **Apprentices:** Puddlepaw- _short-legged, fluffy-chested light brown tom with a white underbelly, paws, muzzle, tail tip and lake-blue eyes (Son of Honeycloud and Mallowtooth) /5/_

 **Queens:** Willowchill- _pale brown tabby she-cat with a lighter underbelly, darker stripes and leaf-green eyes (Sister of Heatherbird) (Expecting Ivyblaze's kits in two moons)_

 **Elders:** Mockingjaypelt- _long-haired, scarred blue-gray tom with dark blue eyes_

Podberry- _old pale brown she-cat with a missing tail_

 _ **RushingClan**_

 **Leader:** Dawnstar- _fluffy, short-legged, small golden tabby she-cat with a white patch on her chest and bright amber eyes (Older sister of Lightshade, daughter of Quailbird)_

 **Deputy:** Lightshade- _long-legged pale golden tabby she-cat with light blue eyes (Younger sister of Dawnstar, daughter of Quailbird)_

 **Medicine Cat:** Shortsong- _old pale brown she-cat with a stubby tail and green eyes_

 **Warriors:** Squirrelflame- _sharp-furred dark ginger tom with a darker stripe on his tail, a white tail tip, paws and light amber eyes_

Aspenflight- _slender brown tom with yellow eyes and darker paws_

Rosesong- _long-legged, long-tailed creamy she-cat with dark amber eyes (Sister of Adderleg)_

 _(Apprentice; Lightpaw)_

Adderleg- _long-legged dark brown tom with one white leg and dark amber eyes (Brother of Rosesong)_

 _(Apprentice; Yellowpaw)_

Prickletail- _spikey-furred light gray tom with front white paws and sharp blue eyes (Older brother of Gravelflake and Ripplebriar)_

 _(Apprentice; Berrypaw)_

Gravelflake- _sleek, long-legged light gray tom with darker flecks and spots and dark blue eyes (Younger brother of Prickletail, litter-brother of Ripplebriar)_

Ripplebriar- _long-tailed mostly black tortoiseshell she-cat with dark blue eyes (Younger sister of Prickletail, litter-sister of Gravelflake)_

Curlflame- _curly-furred creamy she-cat with bright green eyes_

Ravenshriek- _sleek black she-cat with a white underbelly and pale blue eyes_

 **Apprentices:** Lightpaw- _light gray she-cat with white patches and yellow eyes (Daughter of Ripplebriar, sister of Berrypaw) /6/_

Berrypaw- _plump dark tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes and one white paw (Daughter of Ripplebriar, sister of Lightpaw)_

Yellowpaw- _dark creamy tabby tom with pale yellow eyes (Son of Curlflame)_

 **Queens:** Redstorm- _long-legged, long-tailed white she-cat with red tabby patches and yellow eyes_ (Nursing Gravelflake's kits; Redkit- _red tabby tom with yellow eyes,_ Sootkit- _fluffy gray she-kit with darker flecks and spots and dark yellow eyes,_ Rushkit- _white tom with light gray patches and dark blue eyes)_

Waspcloud- _sleek, slender, long-tailed gray tabby she-cat with white paws and bright yellow eyes_ (Nursing Adderleg's kit; Bravekit- _sickly brown tom with bright yellow eyes)_

 **Elders:** Quailbird- _pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (Mother of Dawnstar and Lightshade)_

 _ **MoonClan**_

 **Leader:** Sweetstar- _former SpruceClanner; fuzzy, pale-ish tortoishell she-cat with pale green eyes_

 **Deputy:** Sharpbranch- _muscular dark ginger tom with light yellow eyes and dark paws (Brother of Milkyfur)_

 **Medicine Cat:** Weedshine- _former RushingClanner; small, slender pale off-brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes_

 _(Apprentice; Morningpaw)_

 **Warriors:** Sparrowfoot- _former RushingClanner; long-legged dark dark gray tom with dark blue eyes_

Hollyjaw- _former loner; spikey-furred black she-cat with green eyes and a white tail tip_

Cherrysnow- _tortoiseshell she-cat that's mostly white with pale, blind amber eyes (Sister of Seedstorm)_

Seedstorm- _long-legged brown tabby tom with pale amber eyes (Brother of Cherrysnow)_

Milkyfur- _white and light gray she-cat with light blue eyes (Sister of Sharpbranch)_

 _(Apprentice; Pearpaw)_

Eelfall- _former loner's kit; dark gray tabby tom with a white underbelly and bright yellow eyes_

Tornspots- _former SullenClanner; gray tom with darker patches and dark green eyes_

Feathernight- _former FallenClanner; black tabby tom with bright blue eyes and a scar along his shoulder and chest (Brother of Frostskip)_

Frostskip- _former FallenClanner; light gray tabby she-cat with icy-blue eyes (Sister of Feathernight)_

Brambleflight- _former rogue; muscular brown tabby tom with thick stripes and brown eyes_

Pouncefur- _large pale gray tom with white paws and blue eyes_

 **Apprentices:** Morningpaw- _sleek, glossy-furred solid black tom with bright yellow eyes /7/_

Pearpaw- _tortoiseshell she-cat that's mostly black with pale green eyes_

 **Queens:** Mothshine- _pale brown she-cat with a small white patch on her chest and pale amber eyes_ (Nursing Tornspots's kits; Shiningkit- _pale gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes,_ Harekit- _pale brown tom with amber eyes_ )

Sunnybelly- _former SpruceClanner; sleek ginger tabby she-cat with a white underbelly and yellow eyes_ (Expecting Pouncefur's kits in one moon)

 **Elders:** Birchpetal- _former BrokenClanner; old brown tabby tom with yellow eyes_

Marigoldthroat- _former FallenClanner; golden tabby she-cat with dark amber eyes_

Driftnose- _former RushingClanner; black and white tom with blue eyes_

Kes- _former kittypet; plump pale brown she-cat_

 _ **SpruceClan**_ _is a clan of proud, strong warriors. They live in a typical oak wood forest, with many other trees dotted in, that you expect to see when you walk outside. They have lush ferns and many bushes everywhere. They're great on defense, be it from reinforced thickets and brambles around their camp or from their dip and dodge and defend system. They are very skilled and advanced in their fighting techniques, from jumping off the sides of trees to throwing ferns. Speaking of their reinforced camp walls, at most of their borders, they have adapted a bit of a small wall. They take the strongest bushes, thickets and brambles and intertwine them with twigs and branches for support, with ferns to fill in gaps and with thorns and thistles that make it hard for a cat to touch without proper knowledge. SpruceClan themselves are very prideful on their defences, and love to brag and boast. They are very nosey and want to know everything that is going on, even if it doesn't protain to them. They can be a helpful ally, but not many clans want them as allies, in fear SpruceClanners start commanding them. BrokenClan seems to be the only clan willing to ally with them, as they have been for many seasons, though the ancient reason is unknown. Some speculate SpruceClan lets BrokenClan hunt on their territory, or that SpruceClan is planning with BrokenClan to take over all clans. Others just say that it must have been the long history between the clans. SpruceClan's leader is Ryestar, who is a fair and just leader, but can easily be blinded when those he loves are being threatened. SpruceClan's deputy is Hailmask. Hailmask is strong and powerful, and he knows it. He is respected by his clanmates and feared by the other clans. He can come off as rude, nasty, sharp and aggressive, but he has a loyalty to SpruceClan like no other, and would do anything to benefit them, no matter the cost. SpruceClan's trusted but ditzy medicine cat is Foxskip. Foxskip is forgetful, naive, carefree and careless, and cheerful. She may not be the best at what she does, but she's the only medicine cat SpruceClan has no for awhile, after both of there medicine cats went missing, and their replacement medicine cat got ill and died. Foxskip's brother, Oaktail, who is perhaps the best warrior in all of the Clans, is much more down to earth and helpful than his sister._

 _ **FallenClan**_ _got its name from many many seasons ago when one of their apprentices was hunting and the ground beneath them collapsed, dropping them into a cave system. The apprentice had spent many moons traversing the caves, lost and alone. But soon they adjusted to the dim light and the suffucating, dirty air and learned the way of the tunnels. They soon came across other cats who had collapsed into the tunnels too. After living together like a clan for awhile, they followed a rabbit to an entrance that led out of the tunnels. They found their old clanmates and soon all of the clan had made a living under the forest, travelling far and near, but always underneath your paws. They still have the forest above them, that is very similar to SpruceClan's, but with more tall, thin dark trees. They have dug holes in the tunnels so they can have more exits. FallenClan cats are swift, stealthy, sneaky and sly. While normally small to adjust to the low hanging ceilings of the tunnels, they are powerful, with strong lungs that can deafen your ears with one screech, long whiskers and tails to feel the cave walls around them, great eye sight to see in the dark and strong front paws and muscular shoulders for digging, clawing and swiping. FallenClan like to be hidden, to make sure you're left in the dark, only leaving you a bit to go off of. This goes for their camp. Their camp is so hidden, not even StarClan can find it. Clans often get intimidated by FallenClan, not knowing if they have any tunnels leading into their territory, or even into the heart of their territory, the camp. FallenClan claim to have a river in their camp, that shows them the prophecies to come from StarClan, though it is unknown if this is true, as FallenClan has revealed nothing more. Some cats believe that FallenClan is actually communicating with the Dark Forest, since StarClan doesn't know where FallenClan's camp is. FallenClan's leader is Briarstar, who is very sharp and decisive in her words. She is very family-orientated, and loyal, despite her distance. As such, she has appointed one of her siblings, Brindlefoot, as deputy. Brindlefoot is a bit more caring, but only towards those he likes. He is very harsh and demanding of those beneath him, and sour towards the other clans. FallenClan's medicine cat is Hawkspots, who is innocent, naive and clumsy. He is large, muscular and always stumbling over his own paws. He's very nice to everyone, no matter their heritage._

 _ **SullenClan**_ _are the cats of knowledge. They live in a peaceful, but ominous, forest south-east of RushingClan. SullenClan got their name for a nickname the clans gave them. SullenClan was so somber, quiet and sad that the other clans used to tease them for it, but they would only respond with deep statements, that often made the other clans ponder their reality. SullenClan are very mysterious and wise. Sometimes they believe with all their heart that StarClan will save them, while other times they say "StarClan does not guide our paws or our hearts, only our minds." You might be thinking you can catch SullenClan cats off guard, when they are in their ponderings. But they always have a trick up their sleeves that they have perfected after seasons and seasons of practice. One tale of such a trick was the Rabbit Kick. The story of Rabbit Kick follows a sleek, slender, glossy-furrred she-cat of SullenClan who's name has been lost to time. RushingClan and SullenClan had just started a fight over Running Stones, a pile of rocks next to a stream. Not much blood had been shed yet, but the she-cat raced up the stones, towards the RushingClan deputy. The large, feared deputy had braced, ready to knock over the comparedly small she-cat. She dashed past him, as if ignoring him. He paused, confused. She brushed past him, pulling up her hind leg, before kicking him straight between his flank and belly, at a weak point. Caught off guard, he was flung off the top of the rocks, stumbling to the bottom. Stunned, his clanmates stopped the battle and took him back to camp, where he was forced to retire to the elder's den forver. RushingClan has always wanted revenge, but has been too afraid of another sneak attack like that to fight back. Thus, wise and distant SullenClan proved their worth. SullenClan's leader is Spiderstar. He's a more aggressive cat of SullenClan, but he's mysterious none the less. He never speaks his opinions and rarely ever comments on what is going on. SullenClan's deputy is Marigoldflight. She's a bit hot-headed and uneasy due to the dog attack she experienced when she was younger, but she's a great decision maker and future leader. SullenClan's medicine cat is Beefrost. He's kind, sweet, but formal and precise. His apprentice is Goldenpaw, a young she-cat with a bright future. She's a bit skittish, but out-going none-the-less._

 _ **BrokenClan**_ _live in a patchy territory. Filled with burnt grasslands and prey-scarce woodlands, they don't have a lot of prey to sustain themselves with. So, they resort to stealing and theiving and bargaining. They sneak onto other clan's territory at night, hunting other clan's prey and taking it back for themselves. To do this, they must be very cautious and sneaky. They are excellent at coating themselves in odd and exotic smells, to hide themselves from even the best smellers and trackers of any clan. But, its no secret when prey goes missing and the only clan known to steal prey is BrokenClan. Even so, they've gotten smarter. They don't let apprentices or cats who make sloppy or messy kills go over borders, and they hunt on the opposite side of the territory, furthest from BrokenClan's borders. Some cats are even brave enough to lead foxes to prey on another clans territory and steal it when the foxes aren't looking. Though, whether leading foxes onto enemy clan territory is right debatable or not. BrokenClan has a long running alliance with SpruceClan and have an on and off alliance with FallenClan, since FallenClan hunts and lives underground and often can't spot when a BrokenClanner is stealing prey, even in daylight. Another thing to note, is that BrokenClan members never go without another cat, always travelling, fighting and hunting in pairs. BrokenClan may be scrawny and underfed, but their spurratic, wild and unpredictable fighting style makes a hard opponent to read, because at any moment they could flip- whether it be you or them is as good as a guess as mine. Add that to the fact they work in well-functioning pairs, make them vicious fighting foes who know no mercy. BrokenClan's leader is Copperstar. Copperstar is a good representation of his clan. He's unpredictable, easily snaps and takes what he wants and what he can gets. His deputy is Wishwing, who is much more kinder and understanding. Even so, she can be sly when she has to be. BrokenClan's medicine cat is Sniffnose, and his apprentice Leaftail. Sniffnose is a tortoiseshell tom, which means he's barren. But this fact doesn't affect him. He's a bit timid, but knows how to stand up for what his clan needs. He's very loyal to his clan leader, who is his father. Leaftail is more energetic, easy-going and confident. She knows when to put her foot down and is one of the few cats, perhaps the only, who doesn't believe in stealing from the other clans._

 _ **PondClan**_ _cats tend to linger around streams and ponds. They are patient, calm, and peaceful. They don't like associating with blood-thirsty and battle-hungry cats. The reason why is because one of their first leaders, Tinystar. The small tom was vicious, vengeful and ruthless. He had made his clan more powerful by enslaving the others and ruining his clan from within. PondClan are very strict on being peaceful, and would be the first to close their boundries in a time of trouble. They also harbor sharp feelings toward ambitous cats, believing they can only lead to a path like Tinystar's. PondClan's forest is much more reeds than trees, and despite how much they love swimming and fishing, they don't actually have that much water in their terriotry. They only have thin streams and murky ponds. PondClan's leader is Lizardstar. She's a bit aggressive and tempered, but she would do anything to keep her clan safe and peaceful. Her deputy is Mallowtooth. He's much more calmer, but he has a rough spot and a dark past. He likes to observe before he makes a statement, afraid he has incorrect information. He can be easily swayed. PondClan's medicine cat is Heronburr, who is lazy, passive and strong-voiced. He doesn't like to take action much, and has a firm voice. It's hard to change his mind._

 _ **RushingClan**_ _is swift, mighty, and fierce. They never take no for an answer. They live on the moors, the grasslands, the hills, just below MoonClan's cliff. They are snappy, hot-headed and wild. They believe a battle settles all. They don't care how much blood is shed before they win a fight. They're logic can be wild, ruthless and confusing. Dealing, allying or befriending this clan can prove to be tricky. RushingClan has a history and a vengence towards SullenClan, ever since the famous Rabbit Kick. Unfortunately, they are too afraid yet to make any big attacks on SullenClan. RushingClan also hates MoonClan and everything they stand for, which is ironic with how most MoonClan cats are former RushingClanners. Because two of their borders with other clans that they aren't on good terms with, they can be very touchy, and easily turned aggressive because of it. They are always suspicious. RushingClan is very strict with their younger cats, and have a respect towards their elders and senior warriors. They don't like weakness. RushingClan's leader is Dawnstar, who is a touchy, snappy cat inside but calm on the outside. She's skeptical, very suspicious of everything, and never trusts another clan ever. RushingClan's deputy is Lightshade. She is perhaps the loyalest cat. She's obedient, honest and smart. She always, always does what the clan wants most and always speaks for her clanmates. RushingClan's medicine cat is Shortsong, an old cat. She's wise, quiet, but a bit slow._

 _ **MoonClan**_ _, the most recent and youngest clan, are perhaps the most unique. Most cats in MoonClan don't believe in StarClan. Despite this fact, they are very accepting of outsiders and strangers, or even cats from other clans. Because of this, they are made up of many cats, from BrokenClan all the way to strange tribe cats. They love new ideas, beliefs, views and ways. Even if they come off aggressive, standoff-ish and odd to the other clans, many kittypets and loners find shelter in their warmth and kindness. MoonClan took over the long gone SweetClan's territory, of which the leader of MoonClan, Sweetstar, is named after. SweetClan was a clan of innocence and sweetness, or so it seemed, ironically. As so, they're territory matched their nature. Their only border is shared with RushingClanClan, at the cliffs. Once you past the cliffs, you get to the cluttered, over-filled flowery forest. It smells so sweet and enticing, but it's hard to differentiate the smells of flowers and cats. The only other place beside the cliffs where it is clear, is their camp, which turns into a damp place of grass and fallen logs. MoonClan likes to watch over the other clans secretly, whether with spies or manipulation. They feel a sense of pride in their guardian and motherly tendencies towards the other clans, even if they don't appreciate it. They enjoy steering the other clans away from danger and seeing peace. MoonClan acts orderly in its patrols, making sure every is doing something. But, at moon-high, they all gather for a time of peace, where they howl like wolves and congratulate a brave warrior or newly made apprentice. Another tradition of MoonClan is to send out annual patrols of cats towards twolegplace, ready for more warriors to join them. MoonClan's leader is Sweetstar, who is, like her name, sickly sweet and very mysterious and manipulative. Her motives are unknown. Some mistake her for a prideful cat, while others say she is apart of the mist in SullenClan, unclear and everywhere. MoonClan's deputy is Sharpbranch, who is a even-tempered and mature young tom who likes to think about everyone's concerns before he makes a decision. MoonClan's medicine cat is Weedshine, who used to go by the name Weedtail as a former warrior of RushingClan. Weedshine is a kind-hearted, but ambitious and independant cat, who isn't afraid to do bad things to get what she wants, but in the most legal way possible. Her apprentice is Morningpaw, who is a skittish tom. He is uncertain where he should put his paws, but he tries his best._

 _ **The Clan Territories**_ _reside in a large valley area. On one side is cliffs, where MoonClan resides. Past their territory is the Twolegplace and beyond. On the other side is steep, smooth, straight upwards cliffs, impossible to climb over. The area in-between on the sides is mostly prey-scarce hills. The sun rising on the side of MoonClan's forest (North). Below MoonClan's mountain is the moor of RushingClan. To the east is a river with Tall Rocks the side of SullenClan's tall treed forest. On the west of RushingClan is SpruceClan, with a crowded, thick forest with plenty of undergrowth. South of SpruceClan is BrokenClan and their patchy, prey-scarce land. FallenClan is the only other border of BrokenClan, and in the middle of all the clans. FallenClan also has a small patch of land that connects to SpruceClan's borders and almost to RushingClan. Where RushingClan and FallenClan could have met is the Gathering Place. The_ _ **Gathering Place**_ _is upon a large boulder in a small lake with wide space for the clan cats to sit at. On the east side of FallenClan, they have a border with SullenClan and a sliver of border with PondClan. PondClan only has a border with SullenClan and FallenClan and they have the smallest territory, and they farthest territory from the Gathering Place. The_ _ **Starstone**_ _, the connection to StarClan is located in_ _ **Mooncave**_ _, which is to the right (east) of MoonClan's territory on the cliffs, just close enough for them to see. Mooncave is the closest thing to twoleg territory, but it is still far away._


	2. Prologue: In Which A Snowy Bird Gets Bit

**Anonymous: thanks for the review! I'll try to keep future kits as realistic as possible. Also! Jaymoon lied about her pregnancy to get into the clan, which is why she's listed as more than 2 moons. She plains to get pregnant to keep her story going :)**

 **Also, anyone who wants to suggest a KIT to be put into the clan, tell me which expecting she-cat's kits you want them to be, and make sure that you're kit's pattern match up with the parents.**

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 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Prologue**

The muscular brown tabby tom padded around the swirling stream his sister danced on.

"I'm serious," he mewed, desperate for his sister to at least listen to him _once_. He swerved along the path of the stream, dark brown eyes furrowed. His red-furred sister hopped from one rock to another. He chased after her smiling, unconcerned face with his own frowning, concerned face. His paws were wet and cold, and the air was tinged with the in-coming leaf-fall. He swayed his furry tail, walking slowly.

"Can you please take this seriously?" He pleaded. His sister merely ignored him, choosing to instead play with a butterfly. The brown tom stopped in front of his sister, watching her antics. _'We're warriors now,'_ he thought. _'Well, I am. But, still, why can't she act a bit more mature?'_ He flicked his tail irritatedly.

"Foxskip, focus, please," The tom told the SpruceClan medicine cat. Foxskip rolled on the ground, white-tipped fluffy tail poking outwards. She glanced at her brother, ready for him to speak, though she still looked disinterested. "Thank you." He huffed, sitting down and curling his tail around his paws. "Now, I really think we should do something about him. He's- Hey! Are you listening?!" He hissed as his sister started to climb a tree.

She turned her head. "Whhhhaaaaat? You're stuff is boringggg. It's not a big deal, Oaktail." She hummed. She jumped onto a branch. "Ooooh, hey, what do you think of the name Branchkit?"

"What?" Oaktail shook his head. "You can't even have kits. You're a medicine cat."

"Yeah, but would any one really care?" Foxskip pondered, clawing the wood.

"Yes! Everyone would care! MoonClan is the only clan I can think of that would except that!" Oaktail said flabbergasted. _'Besides, you wouldn't be a very good mother.'_ Oaktail continued in his head.

"Then you can name one of your and Iceheart's kits that then," Foxskip announced.

Oaktail tilted his head. "Wh-what? Iceheart? I don't even like her. I've talked to her like, what, once a quarter-moon?" Oaktail lashed his tail.

Foxskip rolled, scaring her brother that she would fall off the branch. "Yeah, but she likes you."

Oaktail shook his head harshly. "Stop getting off topic! Back to talking about _him_ and the future of our clan!"

Foxskip shot up. "Speaking of our clan and other clanly things, don't you have a border patrol on BrokenClan's side?"

Oaktail glanced at the sky, heart filling with dread. He'd never get to talk about this with his sister. "On FallenClan's border, actually. And yes... I'll get going." He sighed, defeated, flicking his tail farewell to his sister and padded off back to camp.

After getting back to camp, he grabbed a mouse and stopped at the nursery to give the queens a snack. He dropped the mouse at Tangleleap's feet. She purred, diving into the prey happily while Fallowsong, mate of Ryestar and mother of Waspkit, joined her, thanking Oaktail. Tangleleap's first litter was due any day now, and Oaktail hoped to get one as an apprentice, in hope to one day become deputy.

Oaktail went to the center of camp where Hailmask, newly named deputy, was organizing a patrol, other than Oaktail's own. Owlwing, Snowthrush, Iceheart and her apprentice, Amberpaw, were sitting behind him. Oaktail padded up to the cats, nodding to them as a signal he was ready for a border patrol. They headed off, down in the direction of FallenClan's border. Halfway through the trek, Oaktail paused, sensing something. He glanced around, sniffing the air. It smelled faintly of BrokenClan, which was normal. They must have been hunting here recently. But there was something else. Something faint, odd and musky.

"Oaktail?" Iceheart mewed, turning towards him. The rest of the patrol stopped too. Iceheart tilted her head. "What are you doing?"

"Sniff the air," Oaktail commanded. "Have any of you smelled this before?"

Amberpaw had already been sniffing the air and squeaked out a confident "Nope!"

Owlwing and Iceheart, on the other paw, took their time scenting the air, faces furrowed in concentration. Snowthrush took one wiff and hissed. The white she-cat with faint pale gray chest fur and green eyes shook out her pelt.

"It smells like BrokenClan, but worse," she snapped. She turned to Iceheart's apprentice. "Apprentice, what lives on BrokenClan's territory?"

"Uh," Amberpaw gulped, shuffling her paws. "Not a lot of prey?"

Snowthrush hissed, snapping her head up. "I meant, what predators?"

Amberpaw looked thoughtful for a moment, light amber eyes gleaming in the chill. "Rogues, and foxes."

The bush behind Oaktail russled and he was hit with the sharp, disgusting scent of none-other than a-

"Fox," Snowthrush growled, flexing her claws. Amberpaw squealed in fright and hopped backwards.

The large fox, fur tinged a reddish-orange, snarled at the cats, drooling. Amberpaw hid behind her mentor and Snowthrush. Snowthrush hissed at the fox, puffed out her shoulder fur and stretched out her claws, tail lashing. The dog fox towered over the cats, eyes bloodshot and belly rumbling. It had long legs, black paws and a bushy, spikey tail. Despite its large size, it was scrawny, and you could see its rib cage.

Snowthrush sneered at the fox without any fear. She launched herself at the skinny dog fox, clawing its eyes directly. The fox snapped open its jaws in defense, grabbing Snowthrush by her front leg and swinging her to the ground. Iceheart screeched in fury as Snowthrush hit the grassy floor. The frosty white she-cat snarled and tackled the fox, but it didn't move. It merely lunged for her throat, but missed. Owlwing quickly assisted Iceheart. Snowthrush tried pulling herself up, but her leg wound bleed badly. Oaktail and Amberpaw remained still, frightened stiff. Oaktail's mind reeled. How did a fox get onto SpruceClan land? It smelled faintly of BrokenClan, so it must have passed through their land. Surely BrokenClan would have reported it? Or maybe it was recent?

Snowthrush hauled herself up and bit the fox's hind leg as it was turned to fight off Iceheart and Owlwing. The fox howled and shoved her off with a pull of its leg. It whipped around to face her, but Owlwing managed to nick its ear. The fox gave an irritated yap as it was surrounded on all sides. It stood up on its hind legs and Iceheart ambitiously raced forward to get a snap at its soft belly, but the large fox tumbled forward onto her, trapping her. She screeched and tried to wiggle away as the fox grabbed her neck. Oaktail managed to find his paws, and dashed forward, along with Snowthrush. Snowthrush, in her old age, was much slower than Oaktail so he made it to Iceheart first. He rammed into the fox's neck and clawed viciously at it until it let go of Iceheart, leaping off of her and targeting Oaktail. Iceheart scrambled away, sputtering and oozing blood from her neck. Oaktail backed off and Snowthrush and Owlwing faced off with the rabid, frustrated dog fox. Oaktail nudged Amberpaw.

"Go back to camp and get help," he ordered her. Amberpaw nodded and raced off towards camp. Oaktail wasn't sure if it was the best thing to do. Four warriors and an apprentice could surely take care of a scrawny, albeit large, dog fox, but he didn't have time to think right now. Oaktail nipped at the fox's paws, making it turn and chase after him, but for once, Oaktail was faster than something. Iceheart was gathering her bearings while Snowthrush and Owlwing sliced at the fox's pelt, ripping off tufts of fur. The fox let out a frustrated bark as it decided to focus on Snowthrush. It knocked its head into her, and she staggered back. Owlwing grabbed the fox's tail with his fangs and the fox gave him a shove, but Owlwing stubbornly hung on tight. The fox growled and shook itself until Owlwing was forced to let go. Oaktail gave the fox a quick swipe on the shoulder before backing off. The fox snarled and turned to face Oaktail. Oaktail noticed Snowthrush creeping up on the fox, focusing on its throat. Oaktail just had to hold the fox's attention for a few more moments...

The fox charged angrily at the brown tabby tom, swiping a massive paw at the cat. Oaktail dipped and dodged it, something SpruceClan was famous for. The fox stumbled as its paw come down on air and slapped the cold ground. Oaktail teased the fox. He danced around it, just out of reach. The fox let out a vicious snarl just as Snowthrust leaped. She locked onto its throat. The fox went wide eyed and leaped upwards, shaking viciously. The fox suddenly slammed itself into the ground, using its crushing technique on Snowthrush. She wheezed, her mouth letting go but her claws still stuck to the fox's messy fur. The fox pulled upward, and Snowthrush let out a shriek as her claw was forcefully pulled out. She kicked the fox's throat weakly, and the fox retaliated, snapping onto _her_ throat. The fox held and held, and even as Owlwing clawed at the fox, it still held. Oaktail raced to help, and soon enough the fox let go and flung Snowthrush to the side. Snowthrush remained motionless, her limp body rolling to the side.

"Snowthrush!" Iceheart yowled, her eyes wide and teary. She turned to the fox. "You beast! You killed my mother!"

She heroically lunged at the fox, clawing its eyes and its face and its nose and everything she could over and over, until the fox had enough. The fox knocked her away and ran off into the forest, towards FallenClan. Iceheart waited a bit, staring off into the distance before snapping back to reality and running over to her mother's corpse. Iceheart buried her face into her mother's fur, distraught. Owlwing numbly padded beside her.

"She was a good mentor to me, a greater mother, and the best warrior the clan could ask for," Owlwing mumbled. "May she rest with StarClan."

Oaktail laid his tail tip on Iceheart's shoulder.

The bramble bushes rustled and Amberpaw, Hailmask and Leafthroat appeared. Leafthroat immediately saw his grieving sister and his dead mother and gave a yowl of grief. Hailmask bent his head down solemnly. Amberpaw stared wide-eyed at the scene, before sniffing around and wondering where the fox had gone.

Oaktail stared at Snowthrush's body. The awful scent of fox stilled filled the air. Was this some kind of omen sent by StarClan? Would more death soon come to follow, so soon after they had just lost three medicine cats in a row? Was the fox a symbol of something? Would a savage fox like this one come again? Would a fox end his clan?

Could he save his clan from the fox?

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 **And here we see my favorite character's of this series, besides Longpaw and Ferretpaw. Oaktail and Snowthrush. It's a shame Snowthrush had to go, but hey, we can't have her giving our heroes all the answers, can we? And poor Oaktail, he's gotta bit of a main character aesthetic. He wouldn't admit it, but he thinks he's the hero of the story. Too bad he's not one of our main characters :)**

 **Leave me some criticism and reviews!**

 **-Lolling**


	3. Chap1: Bird's Nest in a Hole in a Tree

**A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter One**

Tansypaw puffed her chest out wit pride. Finally! She was a warrior's apprentice! Oh, how long she had dreamed of this. The clan chanting her name, her mentor being announced and touching noses with her. Finally, finally, finally, she was here. Her sister, Snowpaw, an oddly red-eyed white she-cat, stood beside her, looking cheerful, though maybe not as much as Tansypaw. Tansypaw couldn't wait to run out into the forest, her paws on soft forest grass. Her nose, sniffing the woodland air. Her whiskers, twitching as she spotted a mouse. Her gaze on the walls of SpruceClan she longed to see. Long ago, when she was just a young kit, Wasppaw had shown her a smaller version of the walls, but it wouldn't be as nearly as grand as SpruceClan's pride and joy at the borders. Speaking of borders, Tansypaw wondered how her first border patrol would be. Would she get into a conflict with RushingClan? Would she meet the illusive FallenClan, who never seem to be around to mark their borders, but somehow, the borders are always freshly marked? Perhaps she would met a BrokenClan cat? The last one she had seen was the medicine cats, Sniffnose and Leaftail (then, Leafpaw), and their escort, Palefox, though really he was just another mouth to hold herbs with. After all, why would BrokenClan cats need an escort on SpruceClan land? They had nothing to fear.

The cheering of Tansypaw and Snowpaw's names died down. The clan began to disperse, a few padding up and congratulating the newly made apprentices. Soon, Tansypaw and Snowpaw were left with their mentors, Leafthroat and Amberfrost. Leafthroat was Tansypaw's mentor. Tansypaw would of preferred Amberfrost over him, but she guessed it was better than Flyshade or Birchtalon. Flyshade was so arrogant and Birchtalon was so bland and boring! Anyway, Leafthroat was a bit strict, but he was still loose all the same, but he wasn't much of a speaking cat, more of a "show and no tell" cat. Amberfrost, on the other paw, was more bouncy and light-hearted, and very laid-back.

Leafthroat turned to the sisters. "So, what does it feel like to be apprentices?" He asked calmly, a warm glint in his light green eyes. His pale brown fur on his large shoulders fluffed out, showing his muscles that come from seasons of experience.

"Great!" Tansypaw purred, her sister nodding in agreement.

"Could have wished for it sooner!" Snowpaw joked. Amberfrost let out a hearty bark of a laugh.

"I remember being like that as a kit," Amberfrost recalled. Leafthroat glanced at her.

"My sister always claimed you were a pawful," he chuckled. Amberfrost smiled, before shaking out her pelt.

"Alright, back to our apprentices," Amberfrost said. The light gray she-cat with white patches gave them a warm smile. "What do you want to do first?"

"Fight!" Snowpaw yowled energetically.

"Learn to hunt and scent and track!" Tansypaw added. Amberfrost tilted her head.

"Just like every apprentice," Amberfrost sniffed light-heartedly. "Well then, I suppose I could take you to the Training Pit to start with the basics and work on proper stances." Amberfrost looked at Leafthroat, who was an older and more experienced warrior. It was a shame Tansypaw was his first apprentice. He could have made a great mentor to someone like Flyshade, Tansypaw thought. "What do you think?" Amberfrost asked politely.

Leafthroat shook his head. "You can go on ahead and do that, I'm going to take Tansypaw to explore the territory. Make sure she knows every pawstep. Snowpaw's your apprentice. Do what you think's best." Leafthroat gestured to Tansypaw with his tail to follow him as he padded towards the entrance of camp. Amberfrost mewed a goodbye and Snowpaw gave a silent wave of her tail.

Leafthroat walked through the cunningly crafted bramble entrance of the camp. Tansypaw admired the seasons of work gone into it. Never before had she crossed it, not even as a kit. She was a very obedient kit, never stepping out of paw. The bramble walls reached to the lowest branch of the trees situated on either side of the entrance. The walls had practically no holes. They were just a mass of dark green. At the bottom was old moss, which was soft on the paws. But below them were carefully and skillfully placed twigs and sticks, so that when enemy cats stepped on the moss, they would also snap the twigs, alerting the cats inside the camp that there were invaders. Only SpruceClan and BrokenClan knew not to step on the moss, and instead walk in the patches of dry land. Tansypaw gingerly placed her paws down, step by step, not wanting to hit any of the moss traps. Leafthroat waited patiently at the end of the entrance, his tail tip twitching. Once the pale creamy and gray tortoiseshell she-cat made it to the end, she purred contently, proud of herself. Her pale brown tabby mentor gave her a friendly smile before pacing forwards into the overgrown, lush woods of SpruceClan.

Tansypaw took in the scent, savoring it. The oaks and the ash trees and the aspens and the birches. One day she would be able to differentiate between them. But for now, she smelled the scent of her clanmates. The scent of woodland, and of ferns, and of bountiful herbs. Maybe it was nowhere near as sweet as how the other (Great StarClan, how delighted she was to say that) apprentices described MoonClan's scent, but it was her scent. Her _clanmates_ scent _._ And, StarClan, was she proud.

She watched as Leafthroat's tail disappeared in-between the bushes. She scrambled after him, realizing he expected her to keep up no matter what. Tansypaw hopped along side her mentor, feeling giddy and excited despite her usually peaceful and patient attitude.

"What are we seeing first? RushingClan's border? FallenClan's border? The training pit? The battle tree pit? The Leaning Aspen? Our great walls at the borders?" Tansypaw rambled, hopeful to see something unique and grand. Leafthroat merely padded around the trees, maneuvering between the undergrowth. Tansypaw frowned, following him closely. Was she supposed to be doing something? Leafthroat had said he wanted Tansypaw to remember every pawstep of the forest. Maybe she should be studying the trees, in hope for a landmark. She already knew she wouldn't be able to find her way back to camp.

She stared hard and long at every tree she passed, but frankly, while they weren't all _the same,_ they were still _very very very similar_. She wondered if maybe the arrangement of ferns and thickets could tell her something, but sadly, she found no luck. What should she be looking for? She glanced back up at Leafthroat. She noticed, with a jolt, that she was slowing down again. She picked up the pace to be stride by stride with her mentor. She opened her mouth, before closing it. She was going to ask if she should be looking for something, but decided against it. Maybe she should just try to look smart by pretending to study the trees and every blade of grass she saw?

Leafthroat halted her with his tail and she jerked to a stop. She pricked her ears, looking around for what he stopped her for. A little bit ahead, the forest got less dense, and parted to let dry land and dead grass in. She sniffed the air. It smelled... odd. Like old moss, crow-food and permanently wet fur. While it certainly wasn't a _nice_ smell, it wasn't _bad_ , at least in her opinion. It was sort of familiar.

 _'BrokenClan?'_ She thought. The poor smell and the dead grass was giving her that impression. _'I guess it would make sense for Leafthroat to take me to our allies first.'_

Her train of thought broke off as a white rabbit dashed across the dead grass, heading straight for the woodlands, SpruceClan's territory. A dark silver tabby tom chased after it, across what Tansypaw assumed was the border. An off-brown, long-legged tom padded after him slowly and calmly. A mentor and apprentice, perhaps?

Tansypaw discarded the thought as the tom caught his prey and made the kill on _SpruceClan's side of the border._ Tansypaw felt her fur raise. They had crossed the border! Tansypaw looked at her mentor with wide, confused and begging eyes. Leafthroat stood still and calmly, not seeing the cats as a threat, or that they had broken the warrior code by passing the borders. _'Are you not going to do anything? They're killing prey! Prey that's rightfully ours! It crossed the border!'_ Tansypaw screamed in her mind. But her mentor took no action, so she just waited patiently. She turned back to face the two cats. The apprentice looked up at Leafthroat and Tansypaw, white rabbit in his mouth. It had been a clean kill. A clean kill that could have been SpruceClan's. The apprentice blinked his eyes and dipped his head at them. Confused, Tansypaw looked at Leafthroat. He dipped his head back at the apprentice. Tansypaw wondered if she should too, but as she turned back to the two cats, they had taken off back to their patchy territory.

Leafthroat began to stroll towards the border and Tansypaw followed, albeit confused and wanting answers. But she guess Leafthroat expected her to know already, so she searched her brain for the answer. She had believed they were BrokenClan, right? So that would mean... Oh. Now she felt mouse-brained. Obviously, the two cats were BrokenClanners, and the everlasting truce between them and SpruceClan allowed each other to hunt on one another's land.

Leafthroat sniffed the border and Tansypaw followed his lead. Tansypaw couldn't tell where the border stopped and where it started. It was all mottled together and messed up. SpruceClan and BrokenClan smudged together, making an odd, undifferentiated scent.

She didn't have time to ponder as Leafthroat began heading off north-east. Tansypaw leaped after the pale brown tabby. She followed him, once again looking at the trees. One of the trees, she noted, had a bird's nest in a hole. But she couldn't remember where it was, after she had passed it. Just that it was there, somewhere in SpruceClan's territory. She padded, anxiously, after Leafthroat. She heard a bird chirp in the distance and began to wonder when she'd learn to hunt. Hunting was one of her first priorities. With hunting, she could provide for her clan. SpruceClan already had the whole clan and BrokenClan for fights. A cat who could hunt birds and rabbits all at once would be more useful to the clan.

Leafthroat slipped into a clearing and Tansypaw smelt the scent of her clanmates. Cats she recognized as Rosepaw, a pale creamy she-cat, and Oaktail, perhaps the strongest warrior in the clan, just under Hailmask, clan deputy, were training in the clearing. Tansypaw pricked her ears and whiskers. Since they were fighting, and they went south from the camp, she assumed this was the battle tree pit, the best place for battle training and defense strategies.

Leafthroat held out his tail and looked at Tansypaw over his shoulder. "Go back to BrokenClan's border."

Tansypaw blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," Leafthroat mewed stiffly. "Find your way back to BrokenClan's border and then return to here." He sat down, tail curled around his paws. Rosepaw and Oaktail paused for a moment to watch them. Tansypaw hesitated for a moment before turning back into the forest. She padded away for a bit, still processing the request. Or was it an order? Either way, Tansypaw was confused. She also wondered if she should just sit still in this place for a moment and then return to Leafthroat, acting like she knew the way. She decided not to. If she was going to be a warrior, she would need to know all her mentor taught her. This lesson must teach her something important. Like how to find her way through her own territory.

She sniffed the air, hoping to follow her and Leafthroat's scent trail. But alas, she was not skilled or knowledgeable for that quite yet. She wandered through the trees and checked the ferns for something familiar. This one fern was a bit crumpled, so they must have passed here recently. Tansypaw glanced at the sky through the foliage of the trees. The sun was almost halfway through the blue sky, meaning it was almost mid-day. Tansypaw shook out her fur, if she wanted to learn more today she better get down to the BrokenClan border and back very quickly. Her light green eyes twinkled in the sunlight as she sniffed out the best path. She kept looking for the bird's nest in the hole in the tree, but she couldn't find it. She felt like she was going in circles, but she made sure she was only walking forward.

It took her forever, but she finally found the BrokenClan border. She let out a sigh of relief before turning around and padding backwards. It took her less time than it took for her to find the BrokenClan border, but it still took a long time to get back. She ended up getting her tail stuck in a tangled fern for a little bit. She appeared into the battle tree pit tired and frustrated. She hung her head, defeated, knowing her time wasn't that good.

Leafthroat turned to her. "Do it again." He ordered.

Tansypaw gasped. "Again?!" She squeaked.

"Yes," Leafthroat said simply. Tansypaw stood for a moment before turning back again, deciding not to waste time arguing. After she passed a few trees, she paused. A sudden thought hit her.

 _'What if I..._ ' she pondered. She turned to a dark oak tree beside her. She raised her paws, claws unsheathed. Eye level to her, she clawed the bark to make a sideways line. It took a bit to make it really noticeable. She stood back happily, proudly viewing her work. She purred to herself and calmly padded towards what she thought was the direction of the BrokenClan border. She marked every few trees or so. Albeit, it took her a bit still to get to the BrokenClan border, the way back was much swifter. She was there in a heartbeat. Leafthroat glanced at her.

He flicked his tail. "Faster. Again." He gave the simple instruction. Tansypaw couldn't help but smirk. She dashed off, down to the BrokenClan border, and back. Her paws knew the way. The marks on the trees flashed past her. She was probably the smartest and quickest apprentice Leafthroat was going to see.

She leaped into the battle tree pit, scooting on her paws a bit. Leafthroat looked shocked at how quickly she got back. He tilted his head.

"Impressive. How did you get back so quickly?" He mused. Tansypaw proudly lifted her tail up. A chance to flaunt her talent.

"Do you wanna see why?" Tansypaw asked smugly. Leafthroat stood up. He nodded his head. Tansypaw gave a small bounce of joy. "Then come right this way!" _'And prepare to be amazed!'_ She added silently. She padded back into the forest. Rosepaw and Oaktail paused their training, curious. They and Leafthroat followed her cautiously. Tansypaw boastfully stood beside the first tree she marked. Leafthroat inspected it while Oaktail stood a few inches away. Rosepaw raced ahead, finding Tansypaw's other marks.

"So," Leafthroat said, raising his head. He gazed coolly at his apprentice. Tansypaw's heart sunk. Did she do something wrong? "You marked the trees to find your way back?" Leafthroat questioned. Tansypaw gave a weak nod. Leafthroat's face softened. "Impressive. Very impressive. I never would have thought of making markers. Though, it wasn't what I expected from you, it's creativity like this that makes a good SpruceClan warrior. We'll have to share this with Ryestar, and then BrokenClan." Leafthroat sat back. "Tree marks... Amazing, yet so simple."

Rosepaw came dashing back to the three cats. "Wow! They stretch all the way to BrokenClan's border!" She nudged Tansypaw warmly. "Well, aren't you one smart mouse?" She teased. Tansypaw flushed out her fur and licked her chest.

Oaktail glanced over Leafthroat's shoulder at the tree mark. "We could have different markings to show which path is which. One horizontal line can show the line from battle tree pit to BrokenClan's border. From battle tree pit to camp could be two lines."

"Oh, oh! Can I go mark those ones, Oaktail?" Rosepaw mewed quickly. Oaktail waved his tail.

"Sure."

Rosepaw took off, ready to use Tansypaw's idea. Tansypaw felt so warm and fuzzy. Her first day as an apprentice, and she had already come up with an amazing idea! Looks like she was shaping up to be the best warrior SpruceClan had ever seen, and fast.

"My only problem with it is it might make future apprentices lazy," Leafthroat huffed. "They would just have to look at the tree marks to find their way. They wouldn't have to memorize the territory anymore." He glanced at Tansypaw. "Which is what this lesson was for, anyway."

Tansypaw looked down at her paws. "Sorry."

Leafthroat sighed. "It's okay. Our walls at the borders also made us lazy, in a way. We don't have to defend or worry about them as much." He stood up. "Well, we might as well finish the rest of the territory." Leafthroat glanced at Oaktail. "Will you join us?"

Oaktail shook his head. "No. I better get back to camp before Rosepaw makes a ruckus." Oaktail bid them goodbye before heading back off to camp.

Leafthroat led Tansypaw across the territory, using his same lesson for every significant mark. Tansypaw used her tree marks, making each path unique. In no time, the day had passed, and Tansypaw was confident she knew the whole territory, and every tree mark she had made.

That whole day she never saw the bird's nest in the hole in the tree again.

* * *

 **Owo What do you think of SpruceClan and BrokenClan's relationship? Do you like Leafthroat's teaching style? What's your opinion of Tansypaw?**

 **To be honest, I really like writing about mentors and apprentices. It's fun to show how a cat learns things and how a cat's teaching style can differentiate, and how that shapes your future knowledge and how you'll use it. I personally like Leafthroat's style, because it lets Tansypaw think things out for herself, and makes sure she knows something perfectly. No instructions required. It also helps her flesh out her creative thinking side, which is something every good SpruceClan cat should have.**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	4. Chap2: A Day-old Vole Nobody Wants

**Fun Fact; I imagine that the clan cats don't see in color like we do, but how cats see, but I imagine that our writing is translated from cat to human so whatever color is being said is different than what cats see. if that makes sense. - Also, note that the valley clans have a lot of kittypet's roots, and they use more human-like terms, such as "grandfather" and "grandmother", but they don't use "aunt" or "nephews". They also are a bit more informed on the ways of two-legs, but not by much. Other things not cannon to the warrior cats language may also be used**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter Two**

Volepaw, the short-furred gray tom of FallenClan, padded through the tunnels. He was on patrol duty today. That meant he had to dedicate all of his time to patrols, specifically border and tunnel watch patrols. While other apprentices, like his brother, may complain that they wanted to hunt or wanted to dig or wanted to train, he was fine with patrol duty. He was simple-minded, and he didn't mind doing anything his leader asked him to do. Patrol duty was usually for warriors, anyway, so this just meant he was a good apprentice, and would become a warrior soon. Perhaps even before his brother. Not that Briarstar would do that, being so kin-stingy.

Volepaw slunk through a thin hole, squeezing through and popping out on the other side. Volepaw shook out the dirt from his fur, and made a mental note to tell those on digger duty today that they needed to redig the tunnels closest to the Gathering Place. If he remembered correctly, his brother, Deerleap, Newtfur and Driftpuddle were on digger duty.

That's how his clan worked. Every day, his leader, Briarstar, assigned each cat to a duty. Patrol duty was when you go on patrols: Hunting patrols, border patrol and tunnel watch patrols. Tunnel watch patrol was the one he was on right now. One, two or three cats patrolled the tunnels, looking for dents and holes for those on digger duty to patch up. Digger duty is when you dig tunnels, patch up and rebuild old ones, and make sure everything's sturdy. Hunting duty is when you spent the day hunting for your clan. Guard duty is when you watch the main entrances or the territory above, mainly to make sure BrokenClan isn't stealing prey. Typically, cats on digger duty and hunting duty got time to train, while those on patrol and guard duty had to dedicate their whole day, only stopping for a meal.

Volepaw had a good memory, so he knew which cat was on which duty. He, Poolfoot, Sparkfern, and Lightningshine were on patrol duty. Brindlefoot and Graybreeze were on guard duty. Featherfoot, Morningpelt and Shadepad were on hunting duty. Briarstar herself was watching camp, or the river in their hidden camp. Hawkspots, FallenClan medicine cat, would be organizing his herbs or out looking for more.

Volepaw did a lap around the tunnels, coming back to the thin hole and squeezing through it. He liked the calmness that the tunnels gave him. The darkness was welcoming, hiding him, making him unseen. He didn't mind the dirty air because of how he had long ago adjusted to it. Volepaw brushed against the walls, feeling dirt cling to his fur. While other cats may find it ticklish and annoying to have flecks of dirt in their pelts, he found it comforting. It was a sign he was in his home, his domain. He padded further into the tunnel, closer to camp. The camp no one but FallenClan and FallenClan's ancestors knew about. But first, he would have to pass an entrance.

Making a right, and then a left almost immediately, light began to seep into the tunnel. Volepaw flinched, eyes adjusting to the harsh light. A long-haired gray tom with darker stripes and dark blue eyes that gleamed through the darkness beside the light stood guarding the entrance. He blinked, dipping his head in respect to the senior warrior. Graybreeze dipped his head the apprentice. Volepaw flicked his ear and passed on by. That was something he liked about Graybreeze. He didn't need words to understand the young tom. To be honest, Volepaw thought of him more like a father figure than his own father, Newtfur. Graybreeze had been there when Volepaw's brother had pushed him into the ancient river. Graybreeze had been there when Volepaw caught his first mouse. Graybreeze had taught him how to tunnel properly. In fact, Graybreeze was an even better mentor than Lightningshine. Lightningshine was not a good mentor, at all. He never explained things properly and always left training sessions half-finished. Since Poppyjump had been expecting his kits, he was worse than ever. And Briarstar let him. She held kin above clan, and she let Lightningshine ignore his apprentice in favor of his mate and unborn kits.

Volepaw stayed going forward, ignoring each detour in the tunnels. The reason why other clan cats could never find FallenClan's hidden camp was because, one, they couldn't get into the tunnels because of those on guard duty and tunnel watch patrols, and two, they thought the way there would be more complicated. But not even the most experienced warrior could remember every tunnel made, so why make the way to camp so difficult? Volepaw kept padding forward, and forward, until he came to a fork in the tunnels. He veered left, because right was never right. Or at least, that's how Graybreeze put it. That's the only way Volepaw could remember how to get to camp. Another fork, and he went left again. The way to camp was straight ahead. He could already hear the echo's of playful shrieks and giggles of Kestrelkit and Spottedkit

He slipped into the cave. A river ran along the right side, disappearing into the walls. On the other side, the left side, a boulder rose from the ground. Moss peaked out from behind it, indicating the leader's den. Other spots of moss littered the ground along the wall of the large cave. Here, in the camp of FallenClan, they had no dens, beside the leader's den and the medicine herb supply, which was in a dent in the bottom of a wall and the ground below it, right next to the main entrance of the camp. On the other side, opposite of the entrance, was a smaller escape exit. It was also the quickest way to leave for a cat who had to make dirt. It was much more zig-zaggy, but it had no other tunnels connecting to it. It was steep, and long, and lead all the way to the border with PondClan. It was well hidden though, because it's entrance was hidden right under a tree that you had to squeeze through. One might mistake it for an old rabbit's den.

A red-brown, white and black blur tumbled by. Graybreeze and Sparrowtail's kits. Volepaw wondered how the two cats had fell in love. Sparrowtail was snappy and aggressive, and always spat in Graybreeze's fur. They didn't seem to mesh well together.

The kits unfolded, tackling Volepaw's paws. "Volepaw!" They squealed excitedly.

Volepaw purred, raspy and rough from lack of use. "Hello kits."

Kestrelkit nudged Volepaw's chin eagerly. "What are you doing? Anything fun?"

"Just patrol duty," Volepaw rasped. Spottedkit wiggled his paws.

"I would have wanted to be on hunting duty! Way better!" Spottedkit announced. Kestrelkit bumped his brother's shoulder with his own.

"Nuh-uh! Digger duty is the best!" Kestrelkit squeaked. Spottedkit nipped his ears and the two kits began play-fighting. Volepaw watched them, before padding over to the prey pile and taking a day-old vole nobody wanted. He sat in front of the boulder, chewing his prey slowly. A scrawny dark gray tom with shadow-piercing yellow eyes padded into the center of the camp, sitting down and curling around a fuzzy, short-legged gray tom with dark green eyes. The older tom nuzzled the apprentice lovingly. Volepaw shuffled his paws uncomfortingly. The apprentice was Volepaw's brother, Fuzzypaw, and the other cat was his mentor, and father.

Newtfur.

Ever since Sunnyspots had died giving birth to Volepaw and Fuzzypaw, his clanmates claimed he had changed. Volepaw wouldn't know. Newtfur praising and favoring Fuzzypaw was all he knew. He ignored Volepaw, and while he never talked badly to him, he never showed any affection to Volepaw. Volepaw believed it was because Fuzzypaw had Sunnyspots's eyes. The worst part was that Briarstar _let_ Newtfur mentor Fuzzypaw, despite them being kin. Or maybe that was why.

Briarstar really praised the whole "kin above all".

Volepaw didn't like how she lead, but the clan supported her, so he supposed he had to too. Brindlefoot wasn't even that good of a deputy, and he knew it. That's why he got so sour when other clan cats questioned his deputyship, and whether he earned it or if Briarstar just wanted kin as a deputy. Brindllefoot was kind at heart, but the awkward situation made him bitter. Volepaw also knew that Briarstar didn't like her sister, Sparkfern, because Briarstar believed Sparkfern played a part in the death of their mother and other sister. The only reason he knew that was because of Brindlefoot's murmurings when he got anxious. Everyone in the clan could pick up Briarstar's negativity towards Sparkfern, though they didn't know why she held such bitter feelings towards her sister when she held kin so high.

Volepaw was caught by surprise when he was knocked over half through his meal. Volepaw stiffened up, preparing for an attack, but he felt his face fall when he heard familiar annoying, girlish giggles.

Volepaw stood up, knocking the cat off him. A gray mass fell to the ground, paw over his muzzle and on his back. Volepaw stood, frowning, but not moving away from the disruptive cat. The cat, after his bought of giggles, flipped over and hopped up, nudging Volepaw's checks.

"You should have seen the look on our face!" Fuzzypaw mewed. His voice was high-pitched, giggly, squeaky, yet taunting, arrogant and smug all at the same time. Volepaw merely looked away, not wanting to stare into the dark green eyes. A reminder he would never be like his mother, and thus, never win his father's affections. Not that he wanted it. It was broken, rotten and old anyway.

Fuzzypaw struck Volepaw's shoulder playfully. "C'mon, scaredy mouse, I wanna have a match!"

 _'So I can role over and let you win? No thanks,'_ Volepaw thought bitterly. He waved his tail in dismisal, eyes scanning for his father to make sure he wasn't in camp. He'd rather not have Newtfur pressuring him to fight Fuzzypaw, only to lose just to boost his confidence. Volepaw knew he could out-wit and out-fight Fuzzypaw if the match was played fair and square. His father was nowhere to be found. Volepaw let out a sigh of relief.

Fuzzypaw nudged him again. "Not even gonna respond?" Fuzzypaw huffed, hitting Volepaw's shoulder harder. Fuzzypaw frowned and lashed his tail. If Volepaw was quiet, his brother would leave him. "Fine!" Fuzzypaw sniffed daintily. "I'll just go bother Brownlight and put live beetles in Berrystrike's nest!" Fuzzypaw turned tail and walked over to the two elders, buzzing with annoying comments and questions.

Volepaw felt his shoulders relax. Even though he would have rather have Fuzzypaw annoy him to spare the elders, it was nice to not be bothered by Fuzzypaw for a chance.

Volepaw stretched his shoulders, hearing a satisfying pop. Living under the tunnels could be compact, and would often put stress on your shoulders and neck with all the bending down you had to do. The only thing Volepaw wanted from Fuzzypaw was his small size.

Morningpelt, a plump pale ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes, padded over to Volepaw.

"Hey Volepaw," she mewed politely, taking a brown mouse from the fresh-kill pile and laying down beside Volepaw. "Do you know who's on digger duty?"

Volepaw gulped down a bite of his prey. "Fuzzypaw, Newtfur, Deerleap and Driftpuddle."

Morningpelt shook out her pelt. "Thank you. When I was hunting a rabbit a tunnel collapsed on it."

Volepaw flicked his ear. "Which tunnel?"

"Oh, the one near the Gathering Place, and the closest one to SpruceClan's borders," Morningpelt informed him. Volepaw gave a nod. While their tunnels stretched far and wide, they faded out near BrokenClan and SpruceClan's borders.

Volepaw finished his vole and stood up, waving his tail goodbye to Morningpelt, and padding over to Fuzzypaw. Fuzzypaw, like he said, was bothering Brownlight. Volepaw caught his attention with a wave of his paw.

"A tunnel nearest the Gathering Place and SpruceClan's borders fell," Volepaw told him emotionlessly.

"So?" Fuzzypaw flicked his tail. "Not my problem."

"Could be, youngster," Brownlight said. From the irritated look on his face, Volepaw could tell he wanted Fuzzypaw out of his fur. "Besides, aren't ye on diggin' duty?" Volepaw found it ironic how Brownlight talked like he was seasons old, when really, he had retired to the elder's den because a tunnel collapse had broken his hind leg, and he had inhaled too much dirt and dust, which left him with a raspy voice and breathing problems. Volepaw, when he was a kit, remembered when Brownlight was just a warrior, and perhaps Graybreeze's best friend.

Fuzzypaw rolled his eyes. "Yeah." He leaned back on his paws. "But I don't wanna get dirt in my fur. Why don't you go tell Deerleap or Driftpuddle to fix it?"

"You should be doing your fair share of work," Berrystrike, the fluffy creamy tabby elder, snapped. He lashed his tail. "Apprentices have been slacking off ever since I became an elder."

Fuzzypaw scrunched up his nose and flattened his ears. "That's what every elder says."

"And it's true!" Berrystrike growled. "Why would we say it if it wasn't true?"

Fuzzypaw huffed, rolling his eyes. "You're old, you don't know anything."

"I've lived a longer life than you! I've seen more things than you could ever dream of! I fought Tinystar's ancestors!" Berrystrike hissed, puffing out his fur and raising his voice. Volepaw awkwardly twitched his ears, unsure if he should interrupt the swiftly heating argument.

"Oh please! Tinystar's ancestors are PondClan's problem, not ours! Why would you fight for them?" Fuzzypaw scoffed, waving his tail angrily.

Berrystrike sneered. "Back then we were allied with PondClan! We didn't have to fight every clan we have a border with." Berrystrike's eyes flashed towards Briarstar's rock. Volepaw knew the tom was not a fan of the pale gray and white she-cat's leadership, but he never spoke out against it.

"Back then PondClan almost found the dirt-place tunnel leading straight to our camp!" Fuzzypaw fluffed up his neck fur and unsheathed his claws. Volepaw crouched down a bit, ready to stop a fight between the elder and apprentice. "Do you want to end up like SpruceClan and BrokenClan? Prancing around on other clan's lands or letting PondClan take our prey?"

"Don't bring BrokenClan and SpruceClan into this! You don't know what their alliance let's them do, so don't assume. And beside, if they've done so well, why can't we with another clan?" Berrystrike argued. Volepaw blinked. He wondered what SpruceClan and BrokenClan did let each other do and what their alliance was for. But that wasn't the topic right now.

Fuzzypaw lashed his tail. "You don't know the first thing about being a _clan cat_. Wasn't your mother a rogue?"

Berrystrike seemed taken back. "A half-rogue, half-clan cat, yes, but-"

Fuzzypaw gave a bounce. "There! You're grandfather was a traitor to his clan!"

Berrystrike scrunched up his nose, showing a fang. "That doesn't prove anything. My heritage don't matter!"

Fuzzypaw smirked. "Briarstar would disagree. So would my father."

Berrystrike lashed his tail. "They won't do anything. I'm an elder! I've served this clan my whole life!" Berrystrike stood up. Brownlight cowered beside him, and sent a confused, worried glance at Volepaw. Fuzzypaw bristled and raised a paw, ready to strike.

"Fuzzypaw! Berrystrike!" A voice radiating authority and power yowled. Volepaw turned around to see the pale gray and white shape of Briarstar moving towards the two cats who were about to fight. "What is going on here?"

Berrystrike turned to her as she trotted up to them. "This here apprentice-" he pointed his tail at Fuzzypaw. "-has been disrespecting me and _annoying the fluff_ out of my fur!"

Fuzzypaw fluffed out, eyes flashing with fear. "He was speaking treason! He said we should be more like SpruceClan and BrokenClan!"

Berrystrike whipped his head towards the fuzzy apprentice. "I said no such thing!"

Fuzzypaw opened his mouth to argue back, but Briarstar shove her tail in his face. "Quiet! Both of you!" Briarstar glared at them. "Berrystrike, as an elder, you should know better than to let a petty disagreement cause harm. Fuzzypaw, don't disrespect your elders. They've done more for you than you've ever known. When you become an elder, you'll understand yourself. Brownlight, why don't you take Berrystrike out for a walk. Fuzzypaw, go get Newtfur. He can decide your punishment." And with that, Briarstar turned tail and walked away. Brownlight mumbled something to Berrystrike, who begrudgingly turned around and followed Brownlight out of the cave. Fuzzypaw sniffed and padded past Volepaw, completely ignoring him, and searching out Newtfur. Volepaw gave an irritated scowl. Newtfur wouldn't punish at all, if Fuzzypaw even told him about it. Briarstar had too much trust in kin.

Volepaw searched out Deerleap. He had seen the long-legged brown she-cat when he entered camp.

He should go tell her about the collapsed tunnel.

* * *

 **So many bitters in this! So, what's your opinion of FallenClan? Of Volepaw, and his family? Graybreeze? How do you like this story so far?**

 **Seems** _Fall_ **enClan is** _fall_ **ing out at its roots. Disrespectful apprentices, tempered elders, stubborn leaders, nervous deputies, clumsy medicine cats, bad parents, bad mentors, and one pure Graybreeze.**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	5. Chap3: Wind Swept Sorrel Into A River

**Fun Fact: My original plan for A Tale of Seven was to start with how MoonClan became a clan, back in a scrapped version when SweetClan was still a clan, PondClan was called WaveClan and SullenClan and FallenClan where one clan. It was called "The Moon Above the Stars", but I abandoned it as it didn't allow me to do a hop-scotch around with the clans like i can here, which is much more fun for me :) I get to develope all the clans instead of one or two!**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter Three**

Sorrelpaw bounced around her light off-gray tabby sister, Fennelpaw. She nudged her, pulled her tail and cuffed her ears. Anything to playfully annoy her sister. But her sister was used to it, so she merely endured Sorrelpaw's energetic bouts.

"C'mon, c'mon, get up! Today's our first real battle training session! You've gotta get uuupppp!" Sorrelpaw jumped on top of Fennelpaw with an "oof".

"I've been up," Fennelpaw said calmly. "Since Marigoldflight and Thistlefeather first got everyone up." Sorrelpaw rolled off of Fennelpaw, bumping into the dark black tabby tom known as Darkpaw. Darkpaw shot up from his nest, fur fluffing up. He angrily turned on Sorrelpaw.

"Watch where you're going!" Darkpaw hissed angrily. He lashed his tail, sitting down and wiping a paw over his ruffled fur. Sorrelpaw swatted at him with her paw. Darkpaw ducked away and out of the den, unwilling to put up with his sister's antics. Sorrelpaw gave a chirpy giggle, putting a paw to her mouth. Sorrelpaw waved a white-tipped tail at her sister.

"What do you think we'll learn?" Sorrelpaw mewed swiftly. The orange-ginger she-cat hopped around, ear's brushing the dusty, dirty roof of the Apprentice's Den that laid in an albeit small hole. The den actually stuck out a bit from the actual camp.

"How to fight," Fennelpaw responded stiffly. Sorrelpaw rolled her yellow eyes.

"Noooo, I mean, like, front paw strike, Rabbit Kick, the Falcon's Swoop, the Sky Crush, paw swipe and whatnot," Sorrelpaw hummed cheerily. Like a kit, she chased her tail for a bit.

Fennelpaw blinked, shuffling her paws. "I guess it'd be interesting to learn the Sky Crush."

Sorrelpaw gave a hop in agreement, head bumping the top of the den. "Yeah!" She rubbed her head, slight pain aching through the top of her head. "The Sky Crush! Our newest weapon since Rabbit Kick! The other clans will be soooo surprised when we pull that one out on them! It'll especially work on RushingClan since they're so skinny and don't have a lot of trees! They're so hot-headed and full of themselves. StarClan, don't they realize SullenClan will _always_ be better them. SullenClan! The wise and the cunning! The best clan around." Sorrelpaw rambled, eyes starry and chest puffed out proudly. Who _wouldn't_ be proud to be in SullenClan?

 _'Not Tornspots, obviously,'_ Sorrelpaw winced. She hadn't been born yet, when Tornspots left, but she still felt the sting when she left. He was the only cat who had left in SullenClan, and he had caused a rift in the clan, though it was small. Tornspots was Sorrelpaw, Fennelpaw, Goldenpaw, Darkpaw and Heatherheart's, Sorrelpaw's older sister, father and Stormwing's former mate, before he left for a rogue called Mothshine in MoonClan. Stormwing had been distraught, and left to be a loner, all the way down near the cliffs bordering BrokenClan. Stormwing's sisters, Darkpatch and Maplebush had died, Darkpatch right after Tornspots had left and Maplebush a moon ago.

But that was all in the past. Before Sorrelpaw was even born. Before MoonClan was considered a true clan. Tornspots had made his decision. Last Sorrelpaw had heard, Mothshine had been expecting his kits. Sorrelpaw wondered if they were born yet. _'More kin!'_ Sorrelpaw thought happily. Kin was someone she shared blood with, so she had to be happy right? Sorrelpaw wondered what her half-siblings looked like... Kits were the cutest. SullenClan's own kits, Minnowkit and Havenkit, were cute, and they weren't even trouble-makers!

A thin pale brown tabby tom with dark green eyes poked his head through the entrance of the Apprentice's Den. "Get out of the den and ready for battle training." The tom, who was Darkpaw's mentor Twigstripe, snapped quickly before dipping away. Fennelpaw calmly got to her paws and padded out of the den, her orange-ginger sister following closely and more enthusiastically. Sorrelpaw dashed ahead, past Fennelpaw and Twigstripe, straight to the heart of the camp. The clearing had been worn out in the middle, pale grass rubbed down, flattened and smushed. To Sorrelpaw's right, was the entrance, then the Warrior's Den, which was built with thickets in-between a huddle of tall hickory trees. Then the prey-pile, which had the freshest kills on top of a stump, and then old prey shuffled at the bottom. Behind Sorrelpaw was of course the Apprentice's Den. On her left was the Nursery, which had an entrance of holly bushes. Then the Medicine Cat's sleeping den, which was on an incline. It was simple, barren, and open. Rock slabs provided shelter. Beside it was the den for injured and ill, in elder bushes and shrubs. Then the Elder's Den. A simple thicket den constructed from scratch, hidden in the crook of the camp's walls. In front of Sorrelpaw was the Leader's Den, a den made of thickets once again. SullenClan had no official clan meeting place, so they just kinda happened, no cat higher than the other, like most other clan's had.

The clan wasn't too active right now. Only day warriors bustled around. Most night warriors were napping, or lazily watching the camp or sharing tongues at the back of camp. Personally, Sorrelpaw couldn't wait for the day when she found out whether she liked to work during the night or day, but that would have to wait until she was a warrior. You didn't get much decision as an apprentice, because your mentor choose when you were up for the most part. But Sorrelpaw could deal with that for now.

Darkpaw, Fennelpaw, Twigstripe, Wolfspring and Sedgesplash all grouped around Sorrelpaw. Sedgesplash, the scrawny dark gray tom, was Sorrelpaw's mentor. He was an okay mentor. He was really quiet with one-on-one teaching sessions and preferred to teach with the other mentors. In fact, he was the one who had organized the battle training today. Wolfspring was Fennelpaw's mentor. He was a spikey-furred gray tom with lighter chest fur. He was a stoic, strict mentor. Sorrelpaw didn't know how Fennelpaw dealt with him.

"Are we all ready to go? None of you need a quick snack?" Wolfspring demanded, swishing his tail. His bright yellow eyes bore into the apprentice's fur. Darkpaw and Sorrelpaw kept quiet, while Fennelpaw gave a small nod, knowing how her mentor wanted her to respond. Wolfspring jerked his head up, looking up at the sky. "Good. Don't want to waste more sunlight." He flicked his tail. "Hurry up." Fennelpaw and Darkpaw headed off towards the camp entrance, Sedgesplash trailing them. Sorrelpaw stayed behind for a moment. Movement stirred from the Medicine Cat's injured and ill den and out popped a brown tabby tom followed by SullenClan's medicine cat apprentice. Goldenpaw gave a distant dip of her head to her sister, Sorrelpaw, before disapearing into the Elder's Den with herbs in her mouth. The brown tom, Timberstrike, sniffed his recently injured paw. Wolfspring hopped over to him, nudging his head and giving his paw a quick lick. The two exchanged quick mews and purred, before Wolfspring turned around and padded out of the entrance, leading Sorrelpaw and Twigstripe.

The three cats met up with the others shortly, following the path down to Battle Cove, which wasn't that far from Running Rocks, also called Tall Rocks, the main battle ground between RushingClan and SullenClan.

At Battle Cove, a dip in the ground surrounded by "mini-cliffs" (as Darkpaw had called them) that were the size of Sorrelpaw roughly, the cats fanned out, apprentices on one side, mentors on the other. Sedgesplash stepped up.

"First, I wanna know what moves you think you think you're best at," Sedgesplash asked, stepping forward slightly. Sorrelpaw gave a bounce on her toes.

"I'm good at the Sneak Slip, front paw blow and the roll!" Sorrelpaw announced proudly. Darkpaw snorted.

"Who isn't?" He huffed. He gave his shoulder fur a lick. "The front paw strike and blow, including double pawed." Sorrelpaw flicked her ears. That wasn't anything spectacular either. He was just good on his paws, well-balanced.

"The Falcon's Swoop," Fennelpaw mewed. Sorrelpaw's eyes widened. She was already climbing trees? They had only be apprentice's for a moon! "On ground." Fennelpaw finished. On ground? You couldn't just _do_ the Falcon's Swoop on _ground_.

Sedgesplash nodded. "Alright then, Sorrelpaw, Darkpaw, you'll go first. A fight _but_ you can only use the moves you listed." Sorrelpaw rolled her shoulders, ready. Darkpaw and Fennelpaw traded looks. Obviously they weren't used to how Sedgesplash limited what you could do in battles. One time, he had Sorrelpaw pretend she didn't have her hind leg. Sorrelpaw hopped forward, Darkpaw slowly following. Fennelpaw backed off.

Sedgesplash raised his tail. The apprentices ducked down, squaring each other up in pouncing positions. Yellow eyes and dark amber glared. The tension snapped as Sedgesplash dropped his tail. The two cats launched at each other. As they collided, Sorrelpaw immediately bounced off. She needed to prepare for her Sneak Slip. Darkpaw had to adjust to only using his front paws, while Sorrelpaw had more leverage. She was happy she had listed more moves. As Darkpaw approached, she ducked and rolled away, just as a paw came swinging down. Darkpaw charged again, swiping but hopping away as she rolled again, but this time forwards and towards him. She stopped midway, stabled herself on the ground and leaped away. Darkpaw trailed after her as she pranced around like a joyful fawn. Darkpaw flung forward at her, attempting to swipe both his front paws at once. Sorrelpaw, if she didn't have the battle limitations, could have knocked him over, but she merely dipped and soared away. At least she was fast on her feet. As the chase began again, Sorrelpaw whirled around to face Darkpaw and he skidded a bit, startled. Sorrelpaw leaped towards him, pelts brushing. Sorrelpaw swung around, grazing his tail and coming to his other side. Too late Darkpaw realized which move she was using.

Sorrelpaw stuck out her paw, shaping it like a hook and catching it on his shoulder. As she pulled backwards, her paw slipped down, but the force of her pull was enough to unstable Darkpaw. Sorrelpaw ducked her head down, closing the small gap between her and her brother's bodies, pressing them together. Her head found itself below his stomach, and she used all of her might to jerk her head upwards, lifting Darkpaw off his paws and taking the air out of his lungs. Darkpaw was thrown to the side and he feebly tried to scramble up. Sorrelpaw pinned him down with a triumphant smirk. Almost immediately, Darkpaw began to protest at her victory.

"No fair! If I had been able to-"

"Shush," Twigstripe silenced his apprentice. Darkpaw flicked his ear in irritation.

"Stupid battle limitations..." Darkpaw whispered, slipping out from Sorrelpaw's grip and standing up. Sorrelpaw smiled as she gave a leap of happiness. Yes! She had won the first battle of battle training!

"Darkpaw, now you will be fighting Fennelpaw," Sedgesplash explained. Darkpaw gave him a dirty look.

"Can't I add another move onto what I'm allowed to do?" Darkpaw questioned, tail swaying restlessly.

"No," Sedgesplash said. "You will fight with what you know- and that is the moves you said."

"But I know other moves!" Darkpaw whined, voice raising.

"Not right now you don't," Sedgespalsh countered.

"What's the point of learning moves if I can't use them?"

"The point is to know them and use them. The point of this fight is to learn how to fight when you don't have a lot of options."

"But I do! I could do so much more if I-"

"Darkpaw," Twigstripe barked, glaring at his apprentice. "That's enough. This training will do you good."

Darkpaw glared right back at his mentor, before looking away defeated and getting ready to fight Fennelpaw. The two waited for the single before Darkpaw jumped at Fennelpaw, who ran away. Sorrelpaw wondered how she could do the Falcon's Swoop on ground. You needed higher ground, to jump down in front of the opponent and use a paw, much like in Sneak Slip, to scoop the opponent and lift them up, before tipping them over and having them land on their back. It was much harder to lift an unsurprised opponent who was caught off-guard. Attacking on the ground wasn't suffice enough. Though, Sorrelpaw supposed, it wasn't as far-fetched as she made it out to be.

The light off-gray she-cat turned around, a cool, determined look in her eyes. Darkpaw ran strong, beginning to raise his front paws to attack. Fennelpaw dipped down, trying to slink below him, Sorrelpaw assumed. Darkpaw smirked and slammed his paws down onto her back. Fennelpaw, whatever she was trying to do, had to slither backwards and back off. Her eyes showed a glimmer of frustration before going blank again. Darkpaw raced forward, confident. Fennelpaw suddenly puffed out her chest, as if throwing all of her weight to the front of her. Darkpaw hesitated in his steps, giving a light hop. Fennelpaw shifted her weight, going down to a crouching position. She lifted one paw up, thrusting herself upwards. Her paw caught on Darkpaw's chest, pulling him up with her. His eyes gleamed with surprise, before hardening into wrath as he saw his second defeat catching up to him. He quickly tried to push down, messing up Fennelpaw's move again. The two siblings stumbled for a moment, before both pulled away and tried again. Fennelpaw, stuck with only one complicated move, and Darkpaw, stuck with a variety of one simple move to counter. Fennelpaw tried more of a ramming technique while Darkpaw punched her shoulder. Fennelpaw ran off to the side as Darkpaw trailed after her. He stepped on her tail and she gave a yowl. She whipped around and swatted at his head, breaking what she was allowed to do. Sedgesplash gently reminded her of this and the two apprentices backed off before circling each other. This went on for quite a bit, before finally Fennelpaw was able to sneak up on Darkpaw and push him upwards, rolling him onto his back, albeit the opposite of majestically.

"Good job," Wolfspring complimented. Twigstripe added in his praise quietly.

"Fennelpaw versus Sorrelpaw," Sedgesplash motioned with his tail. The two sisters wasted no time in charging at one another. Sorrelpaw hopped and dodged and leaped around Fennelpaw, using her long-legs to Fennelpaw's round physique's disadvantage. Fennelpaw hooked Sorrelpaw's shoulder here and there, but it always slipped off. Sorrelpaw gave a few teasing words, and Fennelpaw "accidentally" tackled her. The she-cats tumbled to the ground and Sorrelpaw pushed Fennelpaw off. Fennelpaw brushed the leaves off of her pelt, and with a small smile, she charged after Sorrelpaw again. Sorrelpaw whisked around Darkpaw, who remained as still as a tree as the sisters dashed around him. Sorrelpaw rolled out of the way as Fennelpaw tumbled past, almost ramming into Twigstripe. Fennelpaw ducked away as Sorrelpaw chucked a front paw blow her way. Fennelpaw hit Sorrelpaw square on the chest, knocking her over, but Sorrelpaw got up too quickly for it to count as her being out. Sorrelpaw jumped away, Fennelpaw trailing. Caught in the heat of the moment, Sorrelpaw did what she did best: run. Call it a RushingClan ability, but she was fast, perhaps the fastest cat in SullenClan, or even RushingClan, BrokenClan or FallenClan, some of the fastest clans.

Sorrelpaw darted off into the trees, clear out of the Battle Cove. Fennelpaw wasted no time in chasing after her. They were predator and prey. Just like old times in the nursery, with Sorrelpaw running and Fennelpaw merrily chasing. Wind in Sorrelpaw's fur, and spring in her paws, she bounded through the trees. Her paws barely grazed the grass. She could hear her sister's paws thump against the forest floor, echoing throughout the forest. Sorrelpaw saw a few mice scramble away. Maybe this is why they had certain training areas, so apprentice's wouldn't run off and disturb prey. But Sorrelpaw didn't care. Not right now. Right now she was the prey. Sorrelpaw felt a gleeful squeal build up in her throat, but the rush of the wind didn't pick up the sound. Sorrelpaw dipped around a tree, and with rabbit-speed she made haste. Fennelpaw was merely a few foxes behind her, hungry for victory. Fennelpaw may be more bulky in structure, but she was still fast.

The ground suddenly gave out beneath Sorrelpaw's feet, and she briefly wondered if this was what the FallenClan apprentice who discovered the tunnels felt like. Sorrelpaw was suddenly thrown down, and coldness over-took her body, along with the vanishing of air. The wetness of water caressed her body. Another weight fell and slipped onto her, following her into the river. Sorrelpaw immediately stirred and swam upwards, waiting to break to the surface. She let out as a gasp as she did. Her paws liked the ground, not the open water. They flailed around, desperately searching for something to grasp. Her paws kicked at another surface, and out popped the head of her sister, who coughed up some water. The current pushed them further downstream, and they felt their claws slide off slippery stones.

Another cat slipped into the river, grasping Sorrelpaw's scruff. Sorrelpaw fell limp, trusting the newcomer to see her to safety. The newcomer lifted her ashore, and let go of her as soon as she found her footing. She scrambled to the bank, shaking water out from her pelt and stabilizing herself. She looked back at the river. The newcomer, a dark creamy tabby tom with pale yellow eyes, grabbed a hold of Sorrelpaw's sister and lifted her over to Sorrelpaw, who helped her up. The tom swam back over to the other side and pulled himself out, shaking out his coat. Sorrelpaw gave Fennelpaw a few licks as she shivered. Fennelpaw and Sorrelpaw looked at the tom who glared at them. He looked ready to say a snarky comment, before a voice called out in the distance. He glanced behind him, into a forest that was more open than tree. In the distance, it dispersed into hills and moor. He gazed back at the wet-furred she-cats.

"As far as you're concerned, none of us were at this river," he stood up, turned around, and dispersed into the bushes.

It took Sorrelpaw a heartbeat to realize their savior was a RushingClan cat, and that they had run across almost the whole territory, to RushingClan's border. A few paw steps over was the start of the Running Rocks. Sorrelpaw flattened her ears, a sense of thrill and fear coursing through her veins. She could have been attacked. RushingClan- RushingClan, they were... they were viscous! Hot-headed! Ruthless! They wouldn't see pity in an apprentice. She would be shredded.

A dark tabby tom popped his head through the bushed. "Did you guys fall in the river?" Darkpaw asked, his tone not of a teasing nature, but of a curious, concerned nature. He blinked at the two wet cats. "Never mind, we better get back to Battle Cove. Our mentors aren't too happy you ran off like that."

Sorrelpaw stood up, moving away from Fennelpaw's warmth. Sorrelpaw shook out her fur, tail spiking out. She gave a sniff- she hoped she didn't get a cold- and slipped into the bushes with Darkpaw. Fennelpaw hesitated to follow, throwing a look back over the river, to RushingClan's side. She slowly placed a paw down, following after her siblings.

* * *

 **What do you think of this chapter? Like it? Hate it? Do you like Sorrelpaw's switch from laughing at RushingClan to fear? What do you like about SullenClan? Which clan is your favorite so far? Which apprentice? Which mentor? Which cat? It's nice to see the two apprentice families (Volepaw's and Sorrelpaw's) are broken in such different ways. One spread far apart, yet still happy. Tornspots with Mothshine and their kits, Sorrelpaw with her siblings, and Stormwing wherever she is. Another close together, yet so miserable.**

 **Hopped: 5**

 **Jumped: 3**

 **Leaped: 3**

 **Pouncing: 1**

 **Albeit: 2**

 **Leave a review or critique!**

 **-Lolling**


	6. Chap4: The Mouse Wants Food, and Food

**NOTE : I made a mistake in the allegiances, Fidgetpaw is listed as a she-cat, but the future I had planned for "her" is as a tom, so we're gonna have to pretend he's a transgender and no-one acknowledges it**

 **Fun Fact: Longpaw and Ferretpaw switched their descriptions (so Longpaw was originally the silver tabby tom and Ferretpaw the dark silver tabby she-cat). Also, Longpaw's mentor, Olivebranch, is her grandmother, and I believe the only grandparent besides Heavycloud actually alive and known listed in the allegiances. The only other grandmother known is Snowthrush, who is in StarClan**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter Four**

A small, curly-furred light gray and white tom with yellow-rimmed amber eyes paced in front of the dried oak bushes that loosely made up the apprentice's den. SpruceClan would have to patch up BrokenClan's camp soon. BrokenClan weren't the best at building dens and defenses. The pale-furred apprentice shook out his fur. Today was border patrol, then training. Simple enough right? He didn't know why he was freaking out. He flicked his fluffy tail and brushed past the dying ferns. Ferns. He should probably collect those for softer nests. Moss wasn't abundant, and what they got from SpruceClan didn't last. And BrokenClan had adjusted to the strange soft roughness of ferns, leaves and dead herbs that Sniffnose and Leaftail didn't need anymore anyway.

The small tom pulled at the old yellow ferns absent-mindedly. Who was on his patrol? His mentor, obviously. Was it Palefox or Frogfur who was also on it? How many cats? The tom fidgeted with his paws, ears flattening.

"Hey rogue-kit," a familiar, silky voice snapped tormentingly. The tom whipped around, eyes sparkling from being startled. The voice belong to a long-tailed, spikey-furred dark silver tabby she-cat with brilliant dark blue eyes that gleamed like a dark midnight sky when the moon wasn't shining.

"Hi Longpaw," Fidgetpaw whispered, tail twitching. Longpaw swayed her tail.

"You're on border patrol, badger-fur," Longpaw said snarkily. She swiped a clawed paw over his ear before turning around and padding over to Wildmask, a gray and orange tortoiseshell that was mostly white, and Olivebranch, a pale spotted creamy she-cat. Fidgetpaw shifted on his paws, pads being pricked by the cold, stiff grass.

The camp of BrokenClan was a fickle thing, as the walls were practically none existent. It was open for the most part, the dens scattered. The fresh kill pile was the most guarded, followed by the nursery. Foxes often tried to sneak in to steal prey and kits, at least, that's what the elder's said. Clan meetings where held under a thin tree that's branches had broken multiple times, sending leaders falling.

Palefox, a large pale creamy tom with a bushy tail who had recently gotten out of the medicine cat den for a wound across his tail, slipped over to the patrol. With all the cats, the patrol began to depart, leaving between the warrior's den and some random bush. Fidgetpaw fluffed out his fur, trailing at the back of the patrol. They were heading towards the FallenClan border. Luckily, FallenClan was usually underground. BrokenClan didn't have the best relationship with FallenClan. The whole "stealing prey thing" ruined it. Personally, Fidgetpaw had yet to cross their border, and didn't plan too. Most warriors never even crossed it. They just lured prey over. A few cats, such as Newtskip and Heavycloud, were the ones stirring up trouble, going all the way into the heart of their territory. While Fidgetpaw wouldn't argue that they should stop stealing prey, they had SpruceClan if anything ever did go wrong.

Through the rugged, barren lands, the patrol trudged. Fidgetpaw glanced around as they passed the place where he had supposedly been found by Rathair as a kit. A hawk had been trying to take Fidgetpaw away as prey, before Rathair bravely saved him. Rathair was old, and had died of greencough before Fidgetpaw was apprenticed. Fidgetpaw still had the wounds from the hawk's talons. A single, thin scar across his shoulder, hidden by his fluff.

Fidgetpaw sniffed the air, scenting an odd smell. It was cat, alright. It smelled like BrokenClan, but without the dried herb scent. Rogue, perhaps? It was familiar... _'Gingerwing,'_ Fidgetpaw realized, shoulders relaxing. If BrokenClan was ever in a tough place, there where two things they could rely on: SpruceClan, and Gingerwing.

Gingerwing was a rogue who used to be called Ginger. She was inspired by Stormwing, a former clan cat. From what clan and why she had left, Fidgetpaw did not know. He had never seen, heard or scented her. Gingerwing loved to help out BrokenClan, though she wasn't quite committed to clan life. She helped BrokenClan with their rogue problem. Chelsey, Snatch and Snarl were rogues who ignored BrokenClan's border and generally caused mishap and mayhem. Gingerwing told BrokenClan what Chelsey's group were going to do. The most recent attack involved the death of one of their members, Flare, who was killed by SpruceClan's deputy. Typically, SpruceClan dealed with Chelsey's group when they got too rowdy.

Fidgetpaw wondered if Gingerwing, Stormwing, or Chelsey's group knew of Fidgetpaw's mother. From what Fidgetpaw grasped, Rathair couldn't find a trail of a she-cat rogue. Fidgetpaw wondered if he had any siblings. He always wanted some. But at least he had Ferretpaw and Longpaw, even if they were rude, snappy and tempered. They still loved and supported him... at least, he thought so. He didn't really know. Ashfall, his foster mother, liked him, if anything.

"Hey mouse-brain," Longpaw called. "Catch up, slug."

Fidgetpaw jerked his up from sniffing a dried yellow fern. He flattened his ears and ducked his head, embarrassed. He scrambled over to the patrol. Longpaw slowed down to walk beside him. Her dark blue gaze scanned their surroundings for danger. Satisfied there where no threats, she breathed and shook out her shiny dark silver pelt. Her rings and stripes waved beautifully, mesmerizing Fidgetpaw for a second. Longpaw's tabby pelt was so... _pretty_ compared to Fidgetpaw's messy, plain white and gray pelt. What Fidgetpaw wouldn't give to be a silver tabby.

Olivebranch and Palefox chatted about mates in the clan. Fidgetpaw's mentor, Wildmask, threw in her thoughts about how handsome Newtskip was. Fidgetpaw had to disagree. Newtskip's arrogant personality really ruined it for him. But maybe Wildmask was into that kind of stuff.

A twig snapped and Fidgetpaw leaped into the air, startled, landing pelt-to-pelt with Longpaw. She gave a purr of amusement.

"Scaredy mouse," she taunted. Fidgetpaw shuffled and looked away. Longpaw gave a flick of her tail and proudly padded off. "Beetle-brain." She added, for good measure.

Fidgetpaw followed the patrol closely as they approached the FallenClan border. The fresh scent of FallenClan startled him. They must be right there, hiding in the undergrowth or something! Fidgetpaw studied the tall, healthy trees. They were different from the sturdy oaks of SpruceClan or the dying, broken trees of BrokenClan. Perhaps they were hiding in the treetops? He knew they liked to be low, deep underground, but maybe they knew how to climb trees? SullenClan, MoonClan and some SpruceClan cats did.

Fidgetpaw wondered how far from the SpruceClan border he was. If FallenClan attacked, he'd run to them. Maybe some cats were training in their- what did they call it? Battle tree pit? That was closer to them than SpruceClan's camp. Fidgetpaw tried to map out BrokenClan and SpruceClan territory in his head. If this was the start of the FallenClan border, it should be very close to SpruceClan's border. But he couldn't catch a whiff of them. So they must be almost halfway along the FallenClan border then. Maybe it would be faster to go back to BrokenClan camp.

Olivebranch and Longpaw began to mark the border, while Palefox kept an eye out and Wildmask began walking ahead, to mark the borders further along. Fidgetpaw trailed her, eyes darting. The scent of mouse hit his nose and he caught sight of a small brown mouse nibbling on an acorn. Fidgetpaw felt his mouth water and stomach growl. The mouse's ear twitched and Fidgetpaw made sure to keep still. His eyes glazed the ground searching for some kind of nuts. He spotted a few chestnuts on the ground beside a chestnut tree. Fidgetpaw gingerly plucked the chestnuts and gently chucked them right in front of FallenClan's border. They thumped against the ground. The mouse bolted up at the sound, abandoning its acorn and hopping away. Its nose twitched though, catching scent of the chestnuts as Fidgetpaw sliced a claw over them quietly, before retreating to hide in the foliage. The mouse stepped forward, its nose greedily leading it towards the trap. It peaked out of the grass, drifting closer to the chestnuts. The mouse sneaked over to the nuts, sniffing them. Suspicious, it looked around, before merrily grabbing one with its tiny paws and taking a small bite out of it. Fidgetpaw slowly raised a paw, leaning forward, towards the content mouse. Swiftly, Fidgetpaw brought his paw down onto the mouse. It squeaked in surprise and anguish. Fidgetpaw lifted his paw. The mouse limply dropped back onto the ground. It tried to scramble away, but Fidgetpaw snatched it up again, claws poking its heaving, breathing sides. Fidgetpaw tossed it closer to him, further away from the FallenClan border. It was like it was never even on FallenClan's side.

"Nice catch, bird-brain," Longpaw complimented as she strode past him. Fidgetpaw gave a weak smile. He grabbed the mouse in his mouth and padded over to a tree. He dug a hole in its roots and dropped the mouse into it, burying it for later. Fidgetpaw stuffed the chestnuts by the tree he originally got them from, just in case they were too far from the chestnut tree and a FallenClan cat saw it. Fidgetpaw trotted alongside Olivebranch as they headed along the FallenClan border. Fidgetpaw's worries washed away as no sign of trouble showed its face. It was still strange, how FallenClan's borders where so freshly marked. Maybe that was just their scent? They smelled uniquely of a sharp scent, cave, Fidgetpaw guessed. It was so... weird. It smelled "dark" and "heavy". It clung to the air like it was trying to suffocate Fidgetpaw. It was dusty and dirty, hanging around like the clouds in the sky.

Fidgetpaw dismissed the thought as they finished marking along the FallenClan borders, and some of the border marking open territory. Fidgetpaw stared out into the vastness of the unclaimed territory. Cliffs pointed out like rib cages after a short distance.

Fidgetpaw and Longpaw trailed at the back of the border patrol again as they began gossiping, talking about Spottedstem and her kits. Antkit had recently gotten in trouble in the medicine cat den again and Cherrykit had been annoying the warriors again, even Copperstar. Buzzardkit was the only one staying out of trouble. Fidgetpaw remembered when he had visited the new born kits. They had been so fluffy and calm back then. Now, at two moons, they were wrecking havoc among BrokenClan. Whoever was their mentors would sure have a pawful.

Fidgetpaw breathed in the air, feeling calmness.

The patrol reached camp and dispersed, Olivebranch talking to her mate, Heavycloud, and Palefox and Wildmask joining Frogfur for a talk. Fidgetpaw dropped his mouse onto the fresh-kill pile, which was in a dug-out hole. He grabbed a plump vole and settled down near the nursery, which was made under an elder bush. Longpaw curled up beside Fidgetpaw, sharing his vole.

"How's your training with Wildmask going?" Longpaw asked. Fidgetpaw swallowed the piece of prey in his mouth.

"Good," Fidgetpaw answered stiffly. "H-how's y-yours with-th Oliveb-branch?"

"I just learned the perfect way to do a duck and twist followed by a belly rake, and SpruceClan taught me how to climb trees recently," Longpaw bragged, blue eyes blazing in pride. "Speaking of SpruceClan, you have training with them today, right? Lucky. I have _two_ hunting patrols later today. At least one's down near the rogue's recent camp, by what Gingerwing says." Longpaw shifted, brushing her tail along Fidgetpaw's flank as she adjusted. Fidgetpaw nibbled on the vole as he listened to her speak. "Oh! Yesterday, I met Gingerwing down near the border nearest the cliffs while training with Olivebranch and she told me how she foght off the _hugest_ hawk!"

Fidgetpaw felt unease and fear ripple through his pelt. _Hawks._ They were weird and mean. Birds where prey, not predators. Maybe if he hadn't been attacked by a hawk, he would still have his mother. Though, he supposed, he wouldn't be here, with Longpaw and BrokenClan.

Ferretpaw slipped in beside the apprentice's, eating a small heron. Fidgetpaw dipped his head to his foster brother.

Longpaw rambled on about Gingerwing's tale. About how the hawk had tried to take Gingerwing's eyes out, but she had out-smarted it by pulling at its talons and tearing its wings. In Fidgetpaw's opinion, that wasn't "out-smarting", just attacking.

Listening to Longpaw describe the hawk though, made Fidgetpaw shiver. He couldn't decide if he wanted to fight the hawk, or run from it. Hawks were scary.

Fidgetpaw took the last bite from the vole, and excused himself to bury the remains. He returned to Longpaw and Ferretpaw. Leaftail, the pale brown tabby Medicine Cat apprentice, had joined them.

"Gingerwing says that Chelsey's group might be trying to recruit loners that pass through," Leaftail informed the apprentices. Ferretpaw unsheathed his claws.

"Good," he hissed. "Better for a fight."

Longpaw shook her head. "They should just give up." She flicked her long ringed tail. "SpruceClan's already taken out half of them. They're no match for us."

Fidgetpaw nodded in agreement. He wanted to avoid a fight, too. Them giving up would mean no more blood was shed. BrokenClan had lost Mouseclaw and Heavycloud had suffered from major wounds.

Leaftail shuffled her paws and frowned. "I'd rather not waste herbs on another battle. Don't tell SpruceClan this, but Foxskip isn't a very good medicine cat. She completely forgot got to stock up on chervil and coltsfoot and over-stocked on horsetail. I mean, I guess I have a lot of horsetail now."

Fidgetpaw frowned in return. "How d-did she become-come m-medicine cat anyway? When-when I saw h-her-er at the gathering, i-it was l-like she d-d-didn't want to-to be one."

Leaftail rolled her tail. "When the two old medicine cats mysteriously disappeared. I think they were killed by dogs, or something." Leaftail gazed at the sky. "They were a problem back then, before their two-legs came down and took them back to twolegplace. Then StarClan sent a sign that Duskkit of SpruceClan would be the next medicine cat, so he became Duskpaw and trained beside me under Sniffnose. Unfortunately, Duskshine got really ill, and died. Nothing could save him quick enough. Then, they just grabbed Foxskip right before she became a full-fledged warrior and shoved her into the medicine cat position." Leaftail explained.

"Oh," Fidgetpaw muttered. "I-I didn't realize-ze that ha-happened t-to Sp-SpruceCl-Clan."

Ferretpaw mumbled something under his breath and Fidgetpaw knew it wasn't kind.

"Yeah," Leaftail hummed. "I don't think Foxskip would have been a good warrior either, though. She talks about things completely off topic. She'll randomly mention kit names, or talk about the moon when she's looking at the sun, or talk about a cat who she met once from PondClan or MoonClan once and how they told her about a flower or a herb or a bush or something. And it's not like she's doing it in a 'I see things' way. She just.. talks about stuff. I think she wanted to be a queen, though."

"You don't think she'll take a mate or anything, do you?" Longpaw asked.

Leaftail hurriedly shook her head. "StarClan, I hope not. I don't think she's brave enough. Mouse-brained enough, maybe. But that's breaking the warrior code! Just like how we steal prey..."

Ferretpaw and Longpaw groaned as Leaftail launched into her preachy "why we shouldn't steal prey" voice, droning on about how we were breaking the warrior code and taking away from another clan who may need it more than we do. Longpaw nudged Fidgetpaw.

"C'mon, let's get out of here," Longpaw said. "I think I hear Wildmask calling your name." Longpaw got up and walked away, Fidgetpaw following her. Ferretpaw gave them a glare as they left him with Leaftail.

Longpaw led Fidgetpaw to the rock in BrokenClan's camp, leaping onto the top of it. The sun gleamed off of her silver pelt, catching Fidgetpaw's amber gaze. Longpaw leaped at Fidgetpaw and they tussled for a bit, before Longpaw pinned Fidgetpaw with ease.

Fidgetpaw gave a small squeak as she gently scratched his check a bit.

* * *

 **OOOowooho trash-talking Foxskip. mm. What was your favorite part? What's your opinion of Fidgetpaw? Of Longpaw? Do you like BrokenClan? How do you feel about how they operate? Very dependent aren't they? They have Gingerwing fixing all their problems and SpruceClan defending them at every corner. :) tbh, they're more gluttonous than starving ;p**

 **The reason FallenClan's borders stay so freshly marked is because the scent of cave and dust is so strong and unique to the forest dwellers, that it sticks.**

 **Fidgetpaw wants to be a silver tabby, not because they're pretty, but because he wants to be more like Longpaw and Ferretpaw, his foster siblings. Fidgetpaw's favorite cat's are Longpaw, Ferretpaw, Silverkit (dead foster sibling), Rathair, Ashfall, Leaftail (because he kinda agrees with her, that they shouldn't steal prey) and Chillywind (clan elder).**

 **Leave a review or critique :)**

 **-Lolling**


	7. Chap5: It Stings, It Burns, Its Okay

**Fun Fact: PondClan's a bunch of wussies**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter Five**

Puddlepaw, a short-legged, fluffy-chested light brown tom with a white underbelly and lake-blue eyes, worried beside his mentor. Just a simple test... a simple test... All by himself... There were no other apprentices. Ficklekit and Conekit had died, leaving Pudddlepaw by himself. In a cruel, cruel world. Puddlepaw shivered. No one would ever be safe. Evil, ambition and hunger was always on the rise, waiting to strike. Who knew, maybe someone in his clan was already planning it. And he'd have to deal with it, alone. StarClan, why couldn't they have let Ficklekit and Conekit live. They never deserved to die. Mouse-brained sickness.

Puddlepaw's mentor, Perchmist, a small-eared dark silver tabby with pale yellow eyes, padded over to the patch of water in the camp. A small island sat in the middle of it- the leader's den. The rest of the camp was tightly knit, each den close to each other and similar, made from the same thicket material and intertwined with the walls of camp. The entrance was just a gap in the low walls.

Perchmist pointed to the leader's den. "Can you name every known leader since Pondstar and what they did?"

Puddlepaw shuffled his white paws. "Um," Puddlepaw gulped. "Uh, oh, um." Puddlepaw scrapped his brain for the answers. "Pondstar, uh, created PondClan, of course, after he wanted independence from the old SweetClan. Then there was Strongstar, who, um, who, uh, claimed more territory for PondClan and really established us." Puddlepaw hesitated. "Then there was a gap and, um, we don't really know what leaders there were. Then came Tinystar." Puddlepaw felt a shiver run down his spine. _Tinystar._ Evil, ambitious. Small, just like Puddlepaw. Tinystar was the mark of evil and Puddlepaw had some similarities with him. Tinystar's siblings had died. He was an only apprentice. Son of a deputy. "Tinystar was ambitious, evil, ruthless." Puddlepaw spat. "He, he, he, took control of PondClan, s-sneaking up the ranks, and, and, he killed a bunch of SullenClanners for more territory, created an alliance with FallenClan only to betray it, tried to destroy us from the inside out. He killed his mother and mentor and made his kits believe they had to follow in his footsteps." Puddlepaw fluffed out his fur, legs trembling. His heart pounded. It felt like Tinystar would come back from the dead and rip his throat to pieces.

"That's right," Perchmist nodded solemnly, a grim look on his face. "Who was his mate, mentor and kits?"

"His mate was Echolight. Her standing with him is unknown. His mentor was, uh, Jaystone, but it is believed that he had another one before him," Puddlepaw recited. He wondered how PondClan had managed to remember all of this throughout the seasons. "His kits were Pinelake, a sweet she-cat who tried to stop her brother, Cloudpounce, from rising to power. Starlingpaw and Nimblepaw were killed as apprentices from their ambition. The last kit is unknown. It's, uh, unknown if he had more litters." Puddlepaw choose his words carefully.

"Good," Perchmist mewed, dipping his head. "Who were the leaders after Tinystar?"

Puddlepaw glanced around. "Leafstar, who tried to fix everything from Tinystar's reign, and made the rule that no PondClan cat should ever do something from ambition. Then came Bravestar and Swiftstar, who both spent their time enforcing the rule and closing borders from the other clans to try and make peace with ourselves. Cowstar, or Cowstripe, was assassinated before she could get her nine lives by Sparrowcloud. Then was Frillstar, who managed to make an alliance with FallenClan, allowing us to prosper. She reigned for a long time before meeting an unfortunate, uh, death. Um, the next leader's name is unknown, but they tried to get more territory, before they, um, they were put in their place because that was too ambitious back then during the, uh, fights going on between RushingClan and SullenClan. Then was Gorsestar, who didn't do much. Now we're here, under the rule of Lizardstar." Puddlepaw didn't mention that he felt a little unsafe with Lizardstar's temper. He had to remind himself that Lizardstar really like to keep the peace of PondClan and had no ambitious, evil warriors rising in her time yet. _Yet._ Puddlepaw was sure one wold strike soon. He just hoped it wasn't him who turned evil and ambitious.

Perchmist gave many nods of approval. "Good, good, better than last time. Remember that during Frillstar's time, we managed to come up with new ways to hunt, thanks to FallenClan." Puddlepaw absorbed the information. He pondered if Frillstar had been too ambitious with sharing moves with FallenClan and vice versa, but he guessed because she was thought of as such a great leader, and kept peace for so long, she wasn't being ambitious.

"Can you tell me every evil cat that has something named after them, what it is, and why it was named so?" Perchmist questioned, standing stoically above Puddlepaw.

Puddlepaw shifted his weight on his paws. "Oh, uh... There's, um, Tinystar of course. I already said what he's done. Tiny's Pond, the biggest pond in our territory, was named after him because he had drowned a SullenClan apprentice and a so-called traitor in the shallows." Puddlepaw wondered how SullenClan didn't hate them. They barely even remembered Tinystar's rule, and what he did to them. How could they be so naive? PondClan had hurt them greatly. But now they were off fighting RushingClan over a bit of territory. How simple-minded. Puddlepaw waved his tail. "Then was Tigerleaf. It's unknown what she did, but Tiger's Cliff is named after here, so it's assumed she must of pushed and killed cats at the cliff. It happened under either Leafstar, Bravestar or Swiftstar's reign, but no one is really sure which one it was." Puddlepaw believed it was Swiftstar's reign, just because the other two leaders would have been much more focused on fixing the clan while during Swiftstar's time, they might have slowed down a bit, allowing someone to become ambitious. "Sparrowcloud was the ambitious cat who killed Cowstripe on the way to Mooncave. He was chased out of the clan once his deeds had been discovered, but it's unknown where he went or how he died." Puddlepaw shifted, putting his tail over his paws. "Cherrypelt tried to start a rebellion against PondClan made up of rogues before they disbanded and she was killed. They started camp at Cherry's Hills. Twistedfrost was a tom during Frillstar's time who got mad at the alliance with FallenClan because they, FallenClan, had gotten his paw broken as a 'paw. He managed to stop our alliance by single-pawedly attacking and terrorizing FallenClan. It's rumored he even found their hidden camp. Twisted's Tree is named after him because of how the tree that twists and turns resembles his broken paw." Puddlepaw wondered if he should mention Tinystar's offspring.

"Good, good," Perchmist praised emotionlessly. "I'd say you past the test again." Puddlepaw felt relief spread throughout him, tail tip twitching. He was so scared he might have forgotten something! What if they knew what Tigerleaf did and he had just forgotten it? He would have been so inconsiderate, just forgetting something like that. Maybe he would become ambitious and evil from it.

Perchmist waved his tail towards the prey pile. "Go grab a mouse, you've earned it."

Puddlepaw scrambled off, pride in his chest. He did it! Passed another test. If only Ficklekit and Conekit where here to see this. He was sure they would've passed too. They were smart kits. Conekit would have known even more than Puddlepaw. And Puddlepaw was sure they could have sneaked the answers to Ficklekit somehow.

 _'I wish you guys were still alive,'_ Puddlepaw thought, picking out a white mouse from the prey pile.

"How did you do?" The soothing voice of Puddlepaw's mother asked. Honeycloud was a plump, silky-furred bright brown she-cat with honey-colored eyes and a white tail tip. Puddlepaw gave a meak purr.

"Great," Puddlepaw answered in a raspy tone. "I, uh, remembered more this time."

"You got everything right about Tinystar, didn't you?" Honeycloud asked a little worriedly.

Puddlepaw nodded. "Of course! I, I could never forget his, um, terrible, ambitious deeds."

Honeycloud ran her tail along Puddlepaw's back. "Good, sweetie. I don't want you ever becoming like that ambitious beast." She licked Puddlepaw on his nose.

"How did our son do?" Mallowtooth, the spikey-furred deputy, questioned, padding up with a smile. His blue-gray fur fluffed out at his shoulders and at the tip of the tail.

"Perfect, just perfect," Honeycloud purred, lovingly leaning into Mallowtooth's side. Mallowtooth gave a mew of congratulations.

"That's our son," Mallowtooth praised. Puddlepaw ducked his head. He wasn't really that good. He had just remembered something. It was like he had defeated the whole of SullenClan. Wait no, that sounded too ambitious. Catching a plump rabbit or a slippery minnow sounded much more rewarding.

Honeycloud and Mallowtooth showered Puddlepaw with affection, nuzzling him or praising him. Zuzie, a slender dark brown she-cat, slinked over.

"I'm guessed he did just fine?" Zuzie stated to her friends. Honeycloud purred loudly and nodded. Zuzie gave a small smile. "Of course he did. He's your son, after all. Never seen a spark of ambition in him."

The three cats laughed and purred cheerfully. Puddlepaw shuffled awkwardly, too nervous to eat his mouse. This was what being an only apprentice brought. So much attention. Puddlepaw swallowed a small chunk of the mouse, curling his tail over his nose, hiding his face as his parents and Zuzie talked about how they passed their tests. Puddlepaw didn't know why the test was such a big deal. It wasn't like it decided their fate. It was just a simple, do you know the history of our clan and why we should be peaceful and not ambitious. The test didn't take much effort, and you could just forget about it all when you became a warrior anyway. It's not liked it mattered anyway.

...Though, Puddlepaw supposed, he was thinking treason. Featherfur had been chased out of the clan when she had claimed they shouldn't be focusing on every bad thing in the past and start working on a way to take territory from other clans to support themselves. Something like that scared Puddlepaw. Taking territory from another clan? That would cause war, and war was started by ambition. They could support themselves well enough. The streams would never stop producing fish. They were fine. PondClan was fine. He was fine.

A dark ginger she-cat with a white patch on her hindquarter trotted up to the group, a permanent scowl on her features. That was Vixenspot, the clan's most aggressive cat. Puddlepaw was surprised she hadn't been chased out like Featherfur, but he supposed it was because she was the fiercest stickler to the warrior code. She made sure everyone knew what they, PondClan, had done in the past, and made sure no one ever stepped out of line. Some called it ambition, others called it her taking responsibility for their actions. Puddlepaw was pretty sure Vixenspot wouldn't have been kicked out of the clan easily though even if she was ambitious. She was Lizardstar's sister's kit.

Vixenspot glanced at Mallowtooth before turning to Puddlepaw. "Heronburr wants you to go out and collect stinging nettle since the snakes have been acting up at Sparrow's Rock." She commanded. Puddlepaw nodded, knowing that because he was the only apprentice, he would end up running around collecting herbs for the medicine cat. Vixenspot walked away from the group to bark commands at Heatherbird and Ivyblaze.

"She acts like she's deputy," Honeycloud observed.

"Yeah, well, she was sour when I was picked as deputy after Podberry retired," Mallowtooth commented.

"That's ambitious," Zuzie whispered, quietly, glancing in Vixenspot's direction.

Puddlepaw, not wanting to hear the gossip, pushed his half-eaten mouse away and scanned the clan, spotting a black and white tom and approaching him.

"Benjamin," Puddlepaw began. "Want to go collect stinging nettle for Heronburr with me?"

Benjamin blinked his dark blue eyes at the brown apprentice. "Of course." His light blue collar's tag jingled as he shuffled, lifting his weight. The two cats slipped out of camp, heading off in the direction of Tiny's Pond, which was north-west of the entrance of camp. Benjamin towered over Puddlepaw and, looking at the small scars that littered Benjamin's pelt, he couldn't help himself from asking.

"Why did you join PondClan?" Puddlepaw blurted. Benjamin looked at the younger cat coolly.

"That's an easy story. You know how I used to be Cobra the rogue?" Benjamin asked.

 _'More questions,'_ Puddlepaw thought. _'Great_.' But he answered. "Yeah, before you left to be a kittypet. Why did you do that?"

"I hated the fighting and travelling, the constant fear of not knowing if I would have a home to return to every night I went out to hunt," Benjamin explained, passing around a tree. "The feeling of never really having a home. I went up to the town and joined Zuzie with her housefolk." Benjamin slipped in-between some ferns, Puddlepaw following him. "Zuzie and I left after a party at Jerome's house."

"A party?" Puddlepaw wondered, tilting his head.

"Yes, a party. A gathering of cats around the neighborhood, to get together, get wild, mess around, and goof off," Benjamin described, hauling himself over a fallen log. Puddlepaw hopped over it. He could see Tiny's Pond shimmering in the background, over Benjamin's shoulder.

"A rowdy stray tom-cat killed Zuzie's sister," Benjamin murmured. Puddlepaw's eyes widened and he dipped his head.

"I'm sorry," Puddlepaw said, feeling as if it was his fault.

"Don't apologize. You weren't the tom," Benjamin scolded simply. "Zuzie was disappointed with herself for being unable to protect her sister. She thought that if she knew how to fight, no one would harm her loved ones anymore." Puddlepaw flicked his ears. That sounded... ambitious. He knew Zuzie was energetic and all, but he didn't think she joined the clans because she wanted to learn to fight. "So I took her to the clans and we joined PondClan."

"Oh," Puddlepaw mumbled. "I, um, didn't know."

"It isn't common knowledge like the leaders and evil cats are to PondClan," Benjamin calmed.

"Uh, why did you join PondClan? Why not SullenClan, or MoonClan?" Puddlepaw asked curiously, hoping he wasn't pushing it.

"Because MoonClan was still iffy when Zuzie and I came down to the clans," Benjamin announced. "And PondClan is the most peaceful. The least likely to battle, even if they're strict about being peaceful and relaxed. I know Zuzie wanted to learn how to fight, but that doesn't mean I want her to go get herself killed for her clanmates." Benjamin flicked his tail. "PondClan's just a winding toy."

"What does that mean?" Puddlepaw chirped.

"That with the way PondClan goes about things, forcing us to be calm, to give up our ambitions, is just going to make a cat more likely to attack," Benjamin hummed. "That's what happened with Cherrypelt, I believe. She wanted to change PondClan. She believed it was unstable, and such."

Puddlepaw remained silent. Was that... treason? What Benjamin was saying. It was like Featherfur, just calmer. He certainly didn't sound ambitious.

Benjamin led Puddlepaw to one of the streams in PondClan's territory. The stinging nettle grew somewhere around it. Puddlepaw felt awkward in the silence. Benjamin sniffed the ground, searching for the plant Herronburr wanted them to get.

"If you, if you, um, didn't join PondClan, what clan would you have joined?" Puddlepaw asked, shuffling his paws and only vaguely looking for stinging nettle. Benjamin looked up.

"SpruceClan, I suppose," he answered. "They are thoughtful and lawful." He poked at some herbs. "But Zuzie bonded with Honeycloud and Mallowtooth before we even really joined PondClan, so I doubt we would of strayed far." Benjamin paused. "She was as sad as your family when Ficklekit and Conekit died."

Puddlepaw blinked. He remembered when Ficklekit and Conekit passed away. His parents, Zuzie and Benjamin had mourned for them for days. Zuzie and Benjamin had always be family friends. They had always been there.

Puddlepaw shuffled. He glanced around, deciding to actually look for the stinging nettle.

* * *

 **How do you like the story so far? Opinion of Puddlepaw? PondClan? Do you like Benjamin and Zuzie? What's your thoughts on ambition?**

 **Extra: Cowstripe was Swiftstar's daughter. Sparrowcloud convinced RushingClan to let him join before he died of whitecough. He had kits with a loving mate whom he cared for deeply. He also tried to join BrokenClan but SpruceClan beat him up like a possessive boyfriend. Also! BrokenClan and SpruceClan's alliance started right before Tinystar's reign. Tigerleaf tricked kits into chasing her off of Tiger's Cliff because she was angry at the world for always taking her "precious babies" from her. The unknown leader was called Deepstar. Nimblepaw convinced Starlingpaw to try and steal kits from SullenClan (jeeze, PondClan likes picking on SullenClan) and Nimblepaw was actually the one who killed FallenClan's apprentices with Cloudpaw/pounce, but Starlingpaw was grouped together with them. Lightpaw/foot (the unknown tom-kit) and Pinepaw/lake always tried to stop the two from bullying Starlingpaw into doing stuff daddy wanted them to do. Twistedfrost had an affair with a FallenClan cat, too, before his attacks. He actually showed him Twisted's Tree and they liked to play chase around it like the gay apprentices they were. Also, PondClan is really the only one to remember all their bad cats. SullenClan and RushingClan had plenty of them, but no one even remembers who they were or what they did. PondClan's just hyperactive and anxiety ridden, scared that if they forget something they'll become ambitious too.**

 **Ambitious: 26**

 **Leave a review or critique!**

 **-Lolling**


	8. Chap6: A Little Light Lie

**Fun Fact;** **Lightpaw and Berrypaw have different fathers, but they are from the same litter, with a dead cat named Beetlewing as the proclaimed father (of whom is not the father of either). It's because cat genetics. Also Ripplebriar a hohoho**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter Six**

The light gray she-cat with white patches and yellow eyes called Lightpaw, the well-known RushingClan apprentice with a temper, glared at her mother. The black tortoiseshell glared right back, an irritated gleam in her dark blue eyes.

Ripplebriar's tail gave an agitated twitch. The two were known for their heated arguments, Lightpaw usually protesting about how unfairly the apprentices were treated, and then Ripplebriar commenting back about how she should be grateful for what she has.

Lightpaw gave a low growl, before turning tail with fluffed out shoulder fur and angrily padding back to the apprentice's den, which was under a gorse bush and enforced with calluna bush stalks. She slinked into it, kicking up dust. Yellowpaw, the dark creamy tabby tom who had just gotten back from a hunting patrol near Hare Hills, which was the closest piece of special land they had near Running Rocks on SullenClan's side, was curled up in his nest near the back. He lifted his head up at his denmate's sudden intrusion. His pale eyes were clouded with both worry, and exasperation.

"What's wrong?" He asked as she plopped down in her nest. Which was old, and needed more moss. Maybe she could snag some soft anemone flowers for her nest, to spruce things up. She had lost the feathers that decorated her and her sister's nest a while back.

Lightpaw barely glanced at Yellowpaw. Lightpaw can't believe she had a crush on him as a kit. Back then, he had been a mouse-brained dork. Now, he was foul and rude. The moment he left this den, he would start bashing on some cat. Maybe another plant. Lightpaw didn't want to seem like a hypocrite, though, so she never commented on his aggressiveness. She was snobby in her own way. She claimed that she was the eldest apprentice (which Berrypaw said was false, as she had been born first) and so she bossed the other apprentices around.

Lightpaw gave a drawn out sniff, scenting the dusty air of the apprentice's den. This is why she brought in sweet-smelling things. Stupid dust. She didn't understand how FallenClan stood it.

"Ripplebriar," Lightpaw answered simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Lightpaw adjusted her position, turning to face Yellowpaw. "She's so annoying, and rabbit-brained. She can't keep her words straight. She can't even keep her relationship's straight."

Yellowpaw tilted his head slightly. "At least she's not as bad as that she-cat in SpruceClan. What was her name? Tangle-something? Ripplebriar just has flings, Tangleface actually convinces the cats they love her."

Lightpaw sneered. "At least Tangle _leap_ provides for her clan. She has kits. Me and Berrypaw are Ripplebriar's first litter and she's been with what, seven toms?"

"Well, beggars can't be choosers," Yellowpaw shrugged.

"What the Dark Forest does _that_ mean?!" Lightpaw snapped, baring her teeth at Yellowpaw, who shrinked at the agitated she-cat's bark.

"I don't know, Quailbird said it once," Yellowpaw mumbled, words muffled as his put his muzzle to his fluffy chest. Huh. He still had kit fur. Would he ever grow out of it? It'd been 8 moons since he was born. 9 since Lightpaw and Berrypaw where.

Yellowpaw calmed down at the mention of the clan's elder. Ripplebriar could say what she liked about Lightpaw's disrespectfulness, but Lightpaw knew to respect clan elders. She remembered the tale of Rushfoot, the elder tom who had nearly been killed by his clanmates' disregard for him because he was "old" and "had done his time" and "useless". Lightpaw really doubted if the tale was true, but she guessed the famed Rabbit Kick was a thing, so she would give it credit. What Lightpaw had a problem with was the disrespectful _warriors_ , who ignored her suggestions just because she was an apprentice.

...Although, she had to admit, her "suggestions" were more of "commands".

Lightpaw's ears twitched as she heard her mentor's soft voice call out her name. Lightpaw hauled herself to her paws, slipping out of the den with a tail brushing Yellowpaw's nose. Lightpaw glanced around camp, which was mostly made out of rock dens and hidden by tall grass, the apprentice's den being the only exception. The entrance was made by a few rocks that you had to jump on to get out of the small hole they'd made their camp in. Not to say you couldn't try climbing.

Lightpaw found her mentor's creamy pelt and calmly paced over to her. A slender brown tom with darker paws stood beside her. Aspenflight. Not Lightpaw's favorite cat, but at least he was willing to listen to Lightpaw. To a degree. Not that he usually agreed with her.

Rosesong twitched her long tail. "We're going hunting down by Fallow's Creek." Ah, Fallow's Creek. Once again, something Lightpaw wasn't a fan of. It was a patch of rich forest land that SpruceClan would be jealous of, with a river that exited from a cave and ended abruptly. Lightpaw didn't like the sudden tenderly green grass, and the burst of color. She was a fan of the plain grass on the moors. The trees were a nuisance, and Lightpaw already had to deal with the ones that were on the borders of both SullenClan and SpruceClan.

Lightpaw just gave a simple nod, a sign of respect to her mentor. Rosesong led Aspenflight and Lightpaw to the entrance, hopping up the rocks with a polite nod to RushingClan's deputy, Lightshade, who was monitoring who went in and out. Lightpaw liked the way Dawnstar and Lightshade ran things. Dawnstar went on her own patrols like any other normal warrior, and Lightshade let the warriors organize their own patrols. On normal days, Lightshade would sit upon the highest rock in the entrance, watching who came and went, just in case you never came back and she had to send out a search party. That's why the moment Lightpaw's paws hit the final rock of the entrance, she was on a timer. They had to hunt at Fallow's Creek and return before the moon rose, judging by how the sun was just past half-way.

Lightpaw and Rosesong made haste, though Aspenflight wasn't going too fast. The three RushingClan cats strode down to Fallow's Creek. Lightpaw glanced at the sun. It had barely moved. Aspenflight purred a good luck to Rosesong, who graciously returned it (sickeningly sweet, Lightpaw thought), and Rosesong set to mentoring Lightpaw.

"Alright, I want you to catch at least two mice," Rosesong said, setting the bar low. Lightpaw internally winced, but on the outside she gave a confirmative nod. Feeling the rush of time, Lightpaw took off, listening to the not-really calming in Lightpaw's opinion water of the river swooshing against the land beside it. Lightpaw didn't like the strange softest of grass beneath her paws. She liked the hard, sturdiness the moor ground held. The forest was too bright for something that blocked out the sun.

Lightpaw paused along the shore of the creek. She scented the air... She couldn't scent mouse, but she scented rabbit, which she supposed was fine, if not better. Lightpaw wondered why a rabbit was out as far as Fallow's Creek. Usually, they strayed as far as camp, but never farther. They mainly stayed around Hare Hills.

Lightpaw let her pink nose show her the way to the rabbit. At first, she strayed closer and closer to the river. It must have been getting a drink. Then, it veered off towards the short cliffs of Fallow's Creek. Lightpaw followed the trail swiftly. She was proud of her tracking skills. She was perhaps the best in the clan, under Ripplebriar's brother, Prickletail. Maybe it was genetic.

Lightpaw slowed down her pace as the scent of rabbit overwhelmed her. She crouched down low, wishing she had tall grass to hide her. She tried to make due with the curly ferns and various overly-green bushes. She curled around an aspen tree, paws sinking into the moist grass. Well, she supposed it wasn't _moist_ , but it felt more _wet_ than the dry moorland grasses.

Lightpaw's eyes scanned the clearing, before locking onto a pale brown and white wild rabbit nibbling on some grass absentmindedly. It was fat, plump, and would make a good meal for the clan. Lightpaw licked her lips, ears quietly twitching. Lightpaw shifted, getting into the hunter's crouch. She made sure to adjust it for rabbits, while keeping in mind that there were trees above her and undergrowth everywhere. She shuffled her front paws and stretched out her hing legs. She kept her tail barely brushing the forest floor. Lightpaw pinned her ears to her head. Instead of keeping her head high like in tall grass, she kept it low.

Lightpaw slinked closer, sliding her paws. She made sure not to flex her claws. This was a hunt, not a fight. She shook her hindquarters, preparing to leap on the unsuspecting rabbit. The light gray she-cat's muscles stressed as she leaned back. She bunched her legs as she pounced, launching into the air. Her mind was ready for a race, even though she knew a chase would not be easy in Fallow's Creek. The woodlands was not kind to Lightpaw.

The rabbit suddenly shot up, beady eyes piercing Lightpaw's soul. It turned its brown and white head, hopping away as Lightpaw landed where it was moments ago. Lightpaw landed awkwardly on her paw, and slipped, falling onto her side. Lightpaw stayed still as her prey fled.

StarClan, no! Another prey missed... If she hadn't landed weirdly she could of chased after it, at least!

Lightpaw heard a thud beside her, and forced herself to stand up from her miserable, defeated state. She stood defiantly as her long-legged creamy mentor padded towards her. Lightpaw glanced towards the trees. Had her mentor been watching? Uh oh.

Lightpaw felt her fur flush embarrassingly.

Rosesong shook her head, but in a polite way. "You're getting better, at least." Lightpaw didn't like those words. She was 3 moons into her apprenticeship, and she _couldn't hunt_. She shouldn't be "getting better, _at least_ ", she _should_ be better. Even Yellowpaw could hunt better than her. At this rate, Lightpaw would have a longer apprenticeship than most. She felt a strike of envy run through her as she realized that meant her sister would become a warrior without her and before her.

"I would advise trying not to think like you always have to chase after the prey would you leap for it," Rosesong commented.

"What?" Lightpaw mewed. She _was_ thinking like that. "But I was!" She protested.

Rosesong lifted a paw. "Then you weren't showing it. You keep using the same form, for hunting rabbits on the open fields, but instead of dashing you're just jumping. You have to use more hind-quarters, put more into a stealthy pounce." Lightpaw accepted the criticism with a tail lash. She knew Rosesong wouldn't say it, but she was disappointed. She was just too kind.

Rosesong turned around and vanished into the bushes. Lightpaw felt a shiver of oddness go down her spine. Disappearing into the undergrowth was much more weirder than slipping through the tall grass.

Lightpaw whipped around and climbed up one of the cliffs, momentarily pausing as she pulled herself up. She gave a huff of breath as she took in her surroundings. She felt the paw she had fallen on stiffening up and aching. She would have to see Shortsong about that later.

Lightpaw gave a bounce as she began walking down the cliff, heading towards the direction of the cave. When she reached it, she took some time to admire the cliffs. The large cliffs were rocky, steep and seem to reach the sun. But she knew this was not the case. Cats climbed the cliffs to get to Starstone in the Mooncave often. And now MoonClan resided on the former-SweetClan forest. For a moment, Lightpaw pondered how the SweetClan cats had become extinct. Lightpaw knew that Tinystar or whatever played a part in their demise, for he didn't care that the secretly manipulative SweetClan was, as their name suggests, "sweet" and "innocent" and "soft". Or maybe that's what angered him. Either way, SweetClan had reigned a long time ago, and now MoonClan took their place. Most of her clan apposed MoonClan, and while Lightpaw may join her clan in saying that MoonClan doesn't deserve to be a real clan, she secretly couldn't hate the clan. They had been there since she was a kit, after all. It was normal to see a cat swaying at the top of the cliffs, peering down.

Not that Lightpaw liked the fact that MoonClan was so gung-ho on "protecting and guarding" the other clans. SpruceClan was already bossy enough, but at least they didn't have spies. Although, RushingClan just assumed MoonClan had spies. There was no proof. The only clans that really needed protection was BrokenClan and PondClan, the weakest clans, in Lightpaw's opinion. And BrokenClan already had SpruceClan monitoring their every move or whatever their rabbit-brained little alliance let them do. PondClan was peaceful enough, too, though, to the other clans' surprise, PondClan had been one of the protesters against MoonClan's appearance. Something about ambition and traitors never mixing and evil. Apparently, it was the most heated PondClan had ever been since Tinystar's reign.

How odd of the peaceful clan, if the elder tales were true, which Lightpaw was willing to believe. But Lightpaw supposed no clan was perfect. The clan had seemed a bit jumpy when she went to her first gathering.

But right now was not think about the old SweetClan and current PondClan, so Lightpaw gave one last look up at MoonClan's cliffs, and headed back into the trees. She attempted to hunt some more, picking up a trial of mice that lead to nowhere, and losing two birds in one go. As the sun began setting, Lightpaw had to head back to her mentor and Aspenflight empty-pawed. Lightpaw dipped her head to them, both is respect and embarrassment.

Aspenflight gave her a pitying look, from where he stood with a small black rabbit and two mice stuffed in his mouth carefully. The brown tom waved his tail sadly at her. Rosesong remained still, though Lightpaw saw her chest raise in a silent sigh.

Lightpaw contemplated letting out a small "sorry", but found that a little too pitiful. She switched from guilty to stiff in a moment. She stood tall, and proudly, though her ears folded back.

Aspenflight suddenly padded forward and dropped his plump mouse in front of the light gray she-cat. Lightpaw tilted his head at him, lifting a paw in a confused manner. Aspenflight shrugged, his mouth full, and nudged the mouse closer to her. Lightpaw hesitated, tail tip twitching. She looked at Rosesong. Her mentor merely looked blankly at her. Lightpaw opened her maw to protest Aspenflight's offer. She could hunt on her own, thank you very much, but the tom looked at her with wide expectant and hopeful eyes, that she left like she _had_ to take the mouse. She slowly grabbed it and Aspenflight gave a smile, turning around and heading back to camp. Rosesong, with her red-bird, followed. Lightpaw trotted behind them, a limp in her step.

She supposed if no one asked if it was hers and just assumed it was hers, she'd be fine. Then she wouldn't have to confirm or deny if she was still a failure of a hunter.

Lightpaw trailed the creamy she-cat and brown tom who walked close together, murmuring about something through their prey, Rosesong carrying most of the conversation. Lightpaw wanted to join the conversation, but she supposed it was something stupid or unimportant.

The three cats got to camp just before the moon started rising. Lightshade nodded to their catch as they entered camp. Lightpaw hoped Lightshade didn't know how bad of a hunter she was. Mentors in RushingClan typically talked to the leader about their apprentices and not the deputy. The deputies kept the clans organized while leaders made decisions and lead. That was how it worked.

Lightpaw deposited "her" prey at the fresh kill pile, which was on a nest made of intertwined tall grass stuffed in the corner of a camp. Rosesong dismissed Lightpaw in favor of eating prey with Aspenflight and Squirrelflame.

Lightpaw almost forgot about her sprained paw until she took a moment to pause, feeling pain spread throughout her body. She begrudgingly entered the medicine cat's den, which was a large dug-out den with the only indication of it being there the crushed grass, and it was beside the apprentice's den.

A rumbling cough echoed off of the walls of the den. Lightpaw dipped her head to the old she-cat. Shortsong blinked, looking at the light gray apprentice.

"Yes? What is it?" Shortsong rasped, stubby tail raising.

Lightpaw raised her injured paw. "Sprained. Fell on it awkward."

"Mm," Shortsong said, moving her old bones to examine the paw. Lightpaw waited patiently. Shortsong was practically an elder already. She needed an apprentice. Lightpaw remembered dissing her as a young kit, saying herbs were boring, and felt a wave of regret fill her.

Shortsong lifted Lightpaw's paw, and Lightpaw winced a little.

"A little soothing poultice will do," Shortsong hissed out, throat dry. "If it starts hurting worse, come to me. Otherwise, stay off of it. Should be fine by morning."

Shortsong swiftly made some poultice out of a few herbs. Lightpaw thought one was called lavender or something, but she wasn't so sure. It was mushed. Shortsong lazily rubbed the poultice on, dismissing Lightpaw. Lightpaw blinked slowly at her, and left without a word. Lightpaw limped over to the fresh kill pile, grabbing three small mice. Lightpaw traced her steps back before veering off to the nursery den, which had a wide entrance that was covered in sticky sap from trees down by SpruceClan's border and random ferns, white flowers, and parts taken from shrubs. It wasn't too beautiful, and the flowers were there as an attempt to make it look better.

Lightpaw dropped the mice in front of Redstorm, a white she-cat with red tabby patches, and Waspcloud, a gray tabby she-cat with white paws, the nursery queens. Waspcloud curled her tail around her and Adderleg's only surviving kit, Brownkit. He was barely a moon old, still sickly, and had yet to open his eyes.

Redstorm's kits crowded around Lightpaw, five moons old and quite ready to become apprentices. They were almost Lightpaw's height.

"Lightpaw!" Redkit squealed eagerly, eyes gleaming with affection. Lightpaw had always played with him when he was younger and she was a kit.

"Did you learn any new moves today?" Sootkit slid in beside her red tabby brother, gray pelt shining from a recent wash. Their white-furred, gray-patched brother silently watched Lightpaw from beside his mother.

"No, I went hunting," Lightpaw explained, shoving the mice to Redstorm and Waspcloud. Waspcloud blinked gratefully and whispered a thanks while Redstorm merely delved into her black mouse.

Sootkit nudged Lightpaw's side eagerly. "Did you catch anything?"

Lightpaw wanted to tell the truth, but a part of her struggled, looking into the hopeful, easily impressed yellow gaze of Redkit, and she couldn't help but whisper a little white lie.

"Yeah," Lightpaw said simply. Brownkit mewled to his mother weakly.

Sootkit and Redkit began pestering Lightpaw about her apprenticeship, Rushkit looking on in silent interest.

So Lightpaw lied and exaggerated a little bit. No harm done, right?

* * *

 **How did you like this chapter? Opinion of Lightpaw? RushingClan? Ripplebriar? Yellowpaw? Someone else? Who's your favorite mentor or parent so far?**

 **For some reason, RushingClan has a lot of similar names, _Light_ shade, _Light_ paw, Squirrel _flame,_ Curl _flame,_ Rose _song,_ Short _song, Red_ storm, _Red_ kit, _Rush_ ingClan, _Rush_ foot, _Rush_ kit. etc.**

 **If you wanna know who supported MoonClan and who didn't, RushingClan and PondClan were the main ones against MoonClan, and some of FallenClan later joined them. SullenClan had initially disliked MoonClan but later sat on the sidelines. BrokenClan was okay, if not wary, with MoonClan, and SpruceClan was split. A FallenClan cat had managed to convinced 90% SpruceClan to let MoonClan stay at a gathering.**

 **Bonus Fact: Gravelflake isn't actually related to Ripplebriar. He's an adopted rogue kit that his foster mom convinced the clan was hers.**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	9. Chap7: Paws in a Dark, Dark Place

**Fun Fact: All of the clan cats were randomized, and not a single main cat was chosen on purpose except for Tansypaw (who was almost ditched for another, like Snowpaw or Wasppaw, after her creation). That's why some cats have similar names or names that may not roll off the tongue, to make sure I didn't give main, support or secondary cool names and leave background characters in the dark with names like "Whitefur" and "Sootfall". The cats personalities and backstories where made on the spot :) Personally, I feel like some leaders don't fit their clans, but I keep them anyway for the natural randomization effect :))**

 **Their fur color/pattern, eye color, and physique (muscular, thin, fluffy, sleek, silky-furred, small-eared, etc) was also randomize, which is a bit of a problem to me since I imagine Amberfrost as a cool cinnamon color and Briarstar as a brown tabby while both of them are actually gray with white.**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 7**

Morningpaw, the glossy-furred solid black tom medicine cat apprentice of MoonClan, groaned, his muscles aching from walking back-and-forth, back-and-forth from the edge of MoonClan territory to the next. He knew today was herb collecting day, but it was tedious going place to place. He had collected borage leaves and burdock root and dock and thyme and everything in-between. At least now the stocks were renewed and refreshed, and they had plenty to go around. Tomorrow, he would begin to separate the bad ones from the good ones, and choose the freshest ones to keep in the emergency pile.

Morningpaw just wanted to slump down in the nest, the soft moss and friendly sweet-smelling pale pink flowers tempting him. Morningpaw stretched out his paws, organizing the last of the herbs. Morningpaw's stomach gave a growl of protest and Morningpaw numbly slipped out of the medicine cat den and into the camp of MoonClan.

MoonClan's camp was heavily based off of SpruceClan's, being more built than natural. MoonClan, personally, didn't like the open camps of BrokenClan and RushingClan even though like two cats were from those clans. It had a small curling cliff on one side, that had a single den at the bottom of it, which was the leader's den. The cliff was called Leader's Cliff, and the clan leader made announcements from it. Every other den was between two trees are had a tree as support, with thickets and brambles stuck together to make dens, with sticks tied to the front to hold it all up. The apprentice's den was closet to the entrance, which was a fallen log that you walked through the hollowed out middle of. The warrior's den and nursery were beside each other near the prey pile. The prey pile was simple, just a pile of prey on some dried moss and old dead grass. The elder's den was near the medicine cat den, sticking out close to the middle of the camp. A guest's den was elevated near the apprentice's den. It wasn't keep up to date, and part of the roof was caving in.

Morningpaw nudged around the prey pile, looking for his favorite piece of prey, a thrush. Morningpaw gently picked out the thrush at the bottom of the pile with his teeth. It was a bit old, but that was fine. Prey was prey after all, it was meant to fill you up, not taste good. You didn't fight for the purpose of feeling good, you did it to defend your clanmates and your territory.

Morningpaw twitched his whiskers as he settled down near the elder's den. Driftnose, a black and white former RushingClan tom, and Kes, a plump pale brown former kittypet she-cat, nodded to Morningpaw from where they were chatting in the entrance of the den. Birchpetal, the old brown tabby former BrokenClan tom with a graying muzzle who had joined MoonClan so his former clanmates wouldn't have to waste time caring for him in his old age, slept in the den. Morningpaw could barely see his breathing form in the den. The other clan elder, Marigoldthroat the former FallenClan golden tabby she-cat, was off on a late night patrol she insisted she go on.

Brambleflight, the muscular brown tabby former rogue tom, and Seedstorm, the long-legged brown tabby tom and brother of the blind Cherrysnow, stood on guard at the camp entrance as night approached quickly, making sure no intruders entered camp without permission or reason.

Morningpaw curled up and gingerly ate his thrush, plucking off the feathers to give to the elders and queens. He gulped down a bite and went over what he did today. Collected herbs, of course. Checked on Sunnybelly the expecting queen who's kits where due in about a moon, got a thorn out of Feathernight's paw pad, and gave Harekit some chervil roots for his bellyache.

Pearpaw, Morningpaw's denmate, padded up to him with a mouse dangling from her mouth, dipping her head to him. She had been training all day and her muscles must ache like Morningpaw's. Morningpaw and Pearpaw ate in comfortable silence, watching their clanmates settle down and finish up the last of patrols. Harekit and Shiningkit were guided into the nursery by their mother Mothshine while Tornspots, the former SullenClanner gray tom with darker patches, purred and nuzzled his mate. Eelfall, who had joined MoonClan as a kit with his brother who had died as an apprentice, slipped on a leaf and Sharpbranch, clan deputy and Eelfall's brother's mentor, gave a _mrrow_ of amusement and Eelfall scrambled up embarrassingly. Pearpaw sides heaved in a silent laugh next to Morningpaw. Morningpaw's eyes gazed at Hollyjaw, who had spiked fur as she spoke in hushed, rushed whispers to Feathernight. Hollyjaw snapped something to him and angrily lumbered over to the warrior's den with a huff and a scowl. Feathernight looked upset and he searched out his sister, Frostskip. The two former FallenClanners talked for a moment, Frostskip the light gray tabby she-cat with icy-blue eyes soothing Feathernight, who was a black tabby tom with bright blue eyes, and licking his old scar that ran along his shoulders and chest. The two dipped their head to the guards as they left the camp for a night hunt.

Morningpaw finished his thrush and nipped off the rib cage bones for the kits to play with. He buried the rest. He murmured a goodbye to Pearpaw and took the bones and feathers to the nursery. Shiningkit and Harekit, who would be apprenticed by the next gathering, bounced at the chance to play with the bones, still acting like kits. The sleek-furred ginger tabby queen with a white underbelly, Sunnybelly, accepted the feathers with a mumble. Morningpaw gave the rest of the feathers to the elders.

Morningpaw visited Pouncefur in the medicine cat den.

"Has Weedshine visited you yet?" Morningpaw asked the wounded warrior. The large pale gray tom with white paws stretched out his leg, which he had crushed when he fell from a tree. He was steadily recovering.

"Once in the morning, another time at sun-high," Pouncefur informed the medicine cat apprentice with a rough but neutral voice. His fur was neatly kept, since he had nothing else to do but groom himself or help out with organizing the herbs Morningpaw would drop off. Pouncefur's blue eyes studied the black tom indifferently.

"Alright, does your leg hurt?" Morningpaw asked, sniffing the stiff leg that was wrapped with oak leaves and cobwebs and had comfrey and feverfew mushed inside the wrap.

"When I move. Even a tail twitch hurts," Pouncefur explained.

"Hmm," Morningpaw mumbled, lifting his head. "Do you think you'll need poppy seeds?"

Pouncefur shook his head. "No," he said simply.

"M'kay," Morningpaw sighed shuffling. He poked at the wrap. Still a bit fresh. "Tell Weedshine or I before you go to sleep so we can renew your wrap."

Pouncefur gave a simple nod and Morningpaw slipped out of the den, happy to retreat to the apprentice's day after a long day of work. He collapsed in his den with a deep breath of relief. Morningpaw felt warmth run from his nose to his tail tip. He let the stress of a medicine cat roll off his shoulders.

It wasn't long before he felt himself drifting off, into the wonder of sleep.

Morningpaw found himself in a forest he often dreamed about many times. The forest was dimly lit, dark in nature. The bark was old, dark and on some trees it rotted. The leaves were a dark green, with a few shredded leaves scattered on the ground. The undergrowth was sporadic. In some placed it was overgrown, in others it completely vanished. Morningpaw's paws curled in the slimy, damp grass. The sky was a hazy dark red mixing with a black-ish blue.

Morningpaw crouched down, listening to the silence of the forest. It was almost as if nothing existed in the forest. He stayed crouching with erect ears, trying to detect a sound. Not even a breeze ruffled the grass. He stood up, dancing around, looking around. He had been in the forest so many times, it was almost like home. It sent a wave of peace through him as he passed rotten tree after tree.

Perhaps the forest was some kind of omen, but Morningpaw doubted it. Why would he have been in the forest so many times and why could he recognize land markings such as the cliff or the blood river? The blood river, of course, wasn't an _actual_ river of blood, but the red sky reflected off the water, turning it a tint of red.

Morningpaw pranced around, getting the giddiness and excitement out of his paws. He began to sneak around, searching for something new. He poked around at everything, hoping for a surprise. He mapped out where an owl's nest was, but noted he smelt nothing of an owl and saw no sign of one actually living there. It was like a poor attempt of normalizing the forest. The nest didn't even look like a bird made it when you examined it closely. But it gave Morningpaw hope that perhaps something else did live in this dark dream forest.

Morningpaw circled paw prints in the mud. He sniffed them, but couldn't catch a scent. The tracks must be ancient, older than the time of Tinystar!

He hopped about, sniffing every tree. Soon though, he felt his excitement fade as the forest continued on. He padded forward, weaving around the dark-barked trees that reached the sky. Morningpaw noted with surprise that if he squinted he could see stars off in the distance, in-between the trees. StarClan, perhaps? Were they trying to contact him from his forest? Had that always been there?

Morningpaw started trailing towards the faint stars. He wandered between the trees, leaping over bushes that blocked his way. Warily he approached the open field of stars, not leaving the sanctuary of the forest. The field was stained with darker patches of blue. It was unlike anything Morningpaw had seen in the starry-skied forests of StarClan. Slowly, Morningpaw backed off. The field of stars was not of his. The forest was his. He felt something calling him back, beckoning and urging. He slinked back into the forest with a disregard of the starry field.

Morningpaw swiftly headed back through the forest. From the corner of his vision, he swore he saw a silver tail vanish between the trees. He tried to follow it, but his mind played tricks on him and he found himself lost in his own forest. He frowned, twisting around. He scented the air. The same nothingness smell with the faintness of old crow-food and illness rid the air. Morningpaw chased his own tail, hearing a twig snap in the distance. The snapping twigs were common in his dreams of the forest. And it wasn't like he didn't see the occasional flash of color, but it was like it all vanished when he neared it.

But he felt he was getting closer.

He just _could._

Nothing could hide forever when the seeker was as determined as Morningpaw. Which he often wasn't. But the forest was his own. He had known it since he was a kit. It's mysterious were merely a reflection of his own.

Morningpaw gave up and sat down onto the ground, tail lashing shortly. He would have to try again the next time he visited the forest. It's secrets got more open every time he dreamed.

The world started to rumble, a sign he was awaking. He closed his eyes as warmth pressed against his body, much like a never body. But he never saw whom it belonged to. A faceless entity. Breath brushed his ear, making it twitch.

"Welcome and goodbye, my son," the feminine voice rasped softly, compassion and love twinging the surprisingly low voice. "You grow closer everyday."

And with that he stirred early from his slumber, the sun yet to risen. The dream always ended like that, though, the words were always different they were of the same caliber. He laid his head down as Pearpaw rolled over in her nest, tortoiseshell fur fluffing out against the slight coldness. He stretched out a paw lazily, pretending he was reaching for the moon.

He wondered when the next half-moon would be. Then, he would go see the other medicine cats, even if it meant he might miss out on the Howling, which is when MoonClan would all gather and howl to the moon, chanting a special warriors name or congratulating new apprentices. Morningpaw remembered staying back from the half-moon meeting to experience his Howling. It had been so mystical.

Morningpaw wondered if he could ask StarClan at the next half-moon what his forest dreams meant, or if they even had any significance. Maybe it was just how his mind perceived dreams.

Morningpaw abruptly stood up and walked out of the den. Brambleflight and Seedstorm where still on guard duty. Brambleflight vaguely glanced at Monringpaw. The thick-striped tom was very concerned about his position and very desperate to stay a MoonClan cat, so he was very respectful and tried to never upset anyone and tried to always protect his clan, which is why he often was on guard duty, and sometimes even dawn patrol right after. Morningpaw had never seen the tom sleep. Seedstorm, on the other paw, gave Morningpaw a questioning look and a friendly raise of his paw, a common manner of FallenClan cats. Morningpaw merely shrugged, sitting down and staring up at the moon. The stars faintly twinkled.

Morningpaw didn't know what to think of StarClan.

On the one paw, there was no denying its existence, at least for him. He knew some MoonClan cats were skeptical. But he had seen it first-paw. He visited it ever half-moon and interpreted their omens and signs. He listened to their prophecies and visions. But what he didn't understand was _how._ How did StarClan exist? How did StarClan work? How did cats get from the waking world to the stars? How could some StarClan cats go from the afterlife to the the minds and dreams of existing cats? How could dreams be a thing StarClan could mess with and twist and walk in? Were they not just thoughts of the night projected into images? How did StarClan decide if cats went to StarClan or the Place of No Stars? Was there some higher force? How could you decide what was wrong and what was right?

Morningpaw gave a wavy breath, eyes breaking off from the stars and focusing on the moon. It shined brightly, even as night clouds blocked it.

MoonClan stood for a place of new beliefs, all beliefs, all questions and all answers. But even then, nothing could be perfect. Nothing could be ever-happy. He supposed one could only find happiness where they found either tranquility or thrill. Some cats wanted the never-ending thrill of something while others wanted merely nothingness.

Morningpaw skittishly hopped up, padding over to the medicine cat den, deciding to check on Pouncefur. Weedshine slept cozily beside the herb stock, probably having fallen asleep while working. Pouncefur had a new wrap and laid on his side, leg kicked out. Sensing everything was fine, Morningpaw slipped out of camp with a polite nod to Seedstorm and Brambleflight.

He often found himself going on moon-lit walks after questioning how StarClan functioned or what happiness stood for. The calmness of being alone soothed him. It reminded him of his dream forest. He stalked along the trees, heading for the start of the cliffs that stood over RushingClan.

Morningpaw couldn't help but purr at RushingClan. The clan was so silly, with their heatedness and their temper and their unwillingness to communicate. RushingClan would snap at everything. He once had a RushingClan cat threatening him from all the way down at the bottom of the cliffs. They may say they didn't need protection, but they'd run face first into a boulder if they thought it was insulting them.

Morningpaw broken through the sweet-smelling forest. The forest was surprisingly pale. Pale leaves, pale trees, pale bushes, pale grass, pale flowers. But it was beautiful and endearing. Morningpaw guessed that's where SweetClan got its name. He didn't know much about the extinct SweetClan except that this forest used to be theirs and that Sweetstar was named after them. He didn't know what they were like or how they functioned or why they had dwindled out to extinction.

Morningpaw padded the length to the cliffs, peering down. He took in the hills and the small forest-y area that had a river flowing out of the cliffs. At the end of the moor was the starting of the forests of SullenClan and SpruceClan. But part of that forest parted to the Gathering Place, a large, boulder in the middle of a patch of water. Morningpaw twitched his ears and his whiskers, wanting to run down the the Gathering Place and just look at it, knowing its history. The most commonly fought over piece of land between SpruceClan, FallenClan and RushingClan way back when the clans first started. Back when FallenClan and SpruceClan had just divided, SweetClan and RushingClan where one, BrokenClan was still strong, and PondClan had yet to be made.

Morningpaw took a deep breath of the cold air, feeling the breeze ruffle his fur.

He may never understand why the clans do what they do, and how StarClan does what it does, but he was happy to be here.

* * *

 **How do you like this chapter? Opinion of Morningpaw and MoonClan? Anything else? Which of the main apprentices (Tansypaw, Volepaw, Sorrelpaw, Fidgetpaw, Puddlepaw, Lightpaw or Morningpaw) do you like the most? Who's your least favorite? You're middle-ground? Favorite clan?**

 **Also, I'm just gonna put the leaders, deputies, and medicine cats here, again, just as a refresher. SpruceClan: Ryestar, Hailmask, Foxskip. FallenClan: Briarstar, Brindlefoot, Hawkspots. SullenClan: Spiderstar, Marigoldflight, Beefrost, Goldenpaw. BrokenClan: Copperstar, Wishwing, Sniffnose, Leaftail. PondClan: Lizardstar, Mallowtooth, Heronburr. RushingClan: Dawnstar, Lightshade, Shortsong. MoonClan: Sweetstar, Sharpbranch, Weedshine, Morningpaw.**

 **Leave a review or critique!**

 **-Lolling**


	10. Chap8: Slamming Squirrels

**Finally starting the next round of chapters! This time around, I'm not gonna in order of clans, and it's gonna get crazy because the next chapter starts halfway through this one instead of going through the day.**

 **Fun Fact; I've gotten 90% of all the dead cats done! StarClan Cats: _Fallowsong_ (Ryestar's mate and Wasppaw's mom) _Snowthrush_ (mother of Leafthroat and Iceheart) _Sunnyspots_ (mother of Volepaw and Fuzzypaw, mate of Newtfur) _Fernwillow_ (mother of Briarstar/Brindlefoot/Sparkfern/Juniperpaw) _Juniperpaw_ (sister of Briar/Brindle/Spark) _Darkpatch_ (sister of Stormwing, aunt of Sorrel/Fennel/Dark/Golden/Heather) _Maplebush_ (sis of Stormwing, aunt of Sorrel+) _Rathair_ (cat that found Fidgetpaw) _Silverkit_ (bro of Ferretpaw/Longpaw) _Mouseclaw_ (father of Antkit, Cherrykit, Buzzardkit) _Duskshine_ (SpruceClan's replacement med cat) _Ficklekit and Conekit_ (Puddlepaw's brothers) _Pinelake, Starlingpaw, Lightfoot_ (Tinystar's good kits) _Jaystone_ (Tinystar's mentor) _Echolight_ (Tinystar's mate) _Strongstar, Leafstar the first, Bravestar, Swiftstar, Cowstripe/star, Frillstar, Deepstar, Gorsestar_ (old PondClan leaders) _Dimkit, Fodderkit, Blackkit_ (? unknown relationship as of now) (29) - - - - - Dark Forest: _Midnightmist_ (RushingClanner w/ kittypet ancestors), _Dimfoot_ (former rogue and MoonClanner)(? unknown relationship as of now, "seen" once) _Tinystar_ (evil PondClan leader) _Cloudpounce, Nimblepaw_ (Tinystar's evil kits) _Sparrowcloud_ (evil PondClan tom who assassinated Cowstripe) _Tigerleaf_ (evil female PondClanner who killed kits) _Twistedfrost_ (evil tom PondClanner w/ a twisted paw) _Cherrypelt_ (evil she-cat PondClanner then rogue gang leader) _Beetlewing_ (Lightpaw and Berrypaw's proclaimed father, very sweet, unknown evil deeds, RushingClanner) _Iceface_ (PondClan-SpruceClan half-cat who killed his brother) _Jasperflight_ (evil former kittypet of SullenClan) _Reeftail_ (insane FallenClan she-cat) _Silverfur_ (evil tom, clan hopper) _Puppyscar_ (former SpruceClanner; she-cat with a long scar from face to belly) (15) - - - - - - - StarClan Leaders: _Pondstar_ of PondClan, _Sprucestar_ of SpruceClan and FallenClan, _Conestar_ of BrokenClan, _Juniperstar_ of SweetClan and RushingClan, _Joystar_ of SullenClan (5)**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 8**

Tansypaw trotted around camp, waiting for her hunting patrol to leave. After her territory exploration with Leafthroat yesterday, she had tended to the elders and queens, visiting her half-siblings. Then, they had Leafthroat had told Ryestar and Hailmask about Tansypaw's tree marks, and while Ryestar had been enthusiastic about it, Hailmask had been hesitated. He let it go though, since his only was other clans using it to find their way to camp. Hailmask had sent out Wasppaw, Birchtalon and Antwhisker to claw mark the main pathways. Now, Tansypaw waited excitedly for her first patrol just after the crack of dawn. The dawn patrol would still be out. They had probably stopped to chat with BrokenClan's dawn patrol, too.

Leafthroat suddenly called for Tansypaw and she whipped around from where she passing beside Ryestar's den.

Ryestar's den was almost directly across from the entrance, and it was a pile of rocks unironically called Rock Pile. Then came the apprentice's den, which was a thick thicket den, then, a little far off, was the warrior's den which was in a sandy patch of land with a gorse bush and rose bush intertwined as shelter. Then was the entrance. On the other side of the entrance was the elder's den, a sycamore as its base and being supported by skillfully molded rocks and brambles. Then the nursery was a more open kind of den, with a fluffy bush "hollowed" out. The fresh kill pile was in the roots of the tree in the middle of camp.

Tansypaw galloped over to Leafthroat, excitement coursing through her paws, but she kept her composure. Smokespark, a former loner who called himself a "Siamese" and was an off-white tom with gray smoky points, and Owlwing, a mottled brown tom with faint scars from a fox fight, waited beside Leafthroat. Once Tansypaw joined them at the entrance, they dismissed themselves from the camp, carefully missing the moss on the entrance's ground. The four SpruceClan cats headed towards the wall down at RushingClan's border. Tansypaw couldn't help the spring in her paw, and the dorky smile on her face. She just never wanted the amazing feeling of being an apprentice and exploring to go away.

As they approached the wall, Tansypaw couldn't help but admire it. The wall, as she had learned yesterday, was only a whisker taller than her. If she sat on her haunches she could peer over it. The wall used the bushes and trees to mold it's bases, and then used everything between thickets and flowers to mold it strongly together, then they put in sticks and twigs on weak areas to support everything and finally, they added roses and thorns so that if a cat touched it or rammed into it they would get cut, if their fur didn't also snag on the few twigs and thickets poking out.

Leafthroat twitched his tail and the cats began going their separate ways to hunt for prey. Leafthroat turned to his apprentice.

It came to Tansypaw's realization that she didn't know how to hunt.

Of course, Rosepaw, Flintpaw and Wasppaw had always stopped by and told her tidbits, and they did a pretty good job of explaining things, and Tansypaw had picked up her own little tweaks from just practicing, but she'd never had a _real_ piece of prey moving and skittering. Knowing how to hunt and actually hunting were two very different things. One could only help you and the other caught prey.

Tansypaw let out a small gulp. Leafthroat didn't expect her to just hunt by herself, did he?

Leafthroat swayed his tail over a clump of ferns. The ferns shivered.

"Today, is all about hunting," Leafthroat mewed coolly. Tansypaw blinked obediently. "Show me your hunter's crouch, for a bird."

 _'For a bird?'_ Tansypaw thought, racking her brain. She didn't realize she needed to know multiple different hunting techniques. But she blankly remembered Rosepaw telling her how hunting in trees was hard but thrilling, and the common way to catch birds high up. Tansypaw didn't think she could climb a tree. But maybe she could just use a climbing position and pass it off as a bird hunting crouch?

Tansypaw shifted her stance, bending down and thinking back on that one time Snowpaw dared her to climb the tree in middle of camp. She moved one paw farther forward than the other, keeping the other bent. She didn't know what to do with her haunches, so she bunched them.

Tansypaw perked her ears up and waited for a response from her mentor, her circled her and studied her pose. He poked her back haunches.

"Impressive," Leafthroat said, jerking his head upwards. He often said that. It was like his sign of approval. But Tansypaw could tell by the tone of his voice, it was meant more as a 'you're doing okay, but somethings aren't good enough' than an 'impressive.' "But," Leafthroat gestured to her haunches and then to her out-stretched paw. "I want you to figure out what's wrong with these three paws. They aren't too far off."

Tansypaw hesitated for a moment before pulling her out-stretched paw in a bit. She had been feeling a slight pull on her muscles. And with her haunches she just decided to pull them out a bit. Tansypaw gave a tilt of her head, waving her tail.

Leafthroat gently stomped on her tail with his paw, signaling not to wave it like that. Tansypaw figured she should be a little more careful with her tail. If she were to wave it like that, her prey would see her and leap away.

"Your haunches need to be put backwards a bit, more in but not a lot, then move your weight to the back and pretend your about to swing forward," Leafthroat explained. Tansypaw tried to follow his instructions to the best of her abilities.

Leafthroat gave her a tiny nod.

"Good, now scent the air, what do you smell?" Leafthroat persuaded with a twirl of his paw. Tansypaw sniffed the air.

"Um, you, me, the forest," Tansypaw gave bigger sniff, "some squirrel?"

Leafthroat's ear twitched. Tansypaw took it as a sign to continue. She was hunting bird, wasn't she? So he must want her to smell bird then, right? She culdn't recall ever eating a bird in her kithood. Didn't Flintpaw or someone have one last night beside her? They were a bit tangy, their feathers grimy and dirty. But also sweet, the smell of new flowers blooming and like the canopy of the trees. Tansypaw looked for that smell.

"Bird?" Tansypaw suggested, scenting something of the caliber, but it was more sharp.

Leafthroat nodded. "I assume you don't know the type of bird, but that keen, sour berry-like smell is a bluebird's scent."

Tansypaw gave an affirmative nod, eager to learn.

Leafthroat tossed a leaf in the air, and it started to slowly float down.

"Catch that leaf, with your pounce, before it hits the ground," Leafthroat commanded. Tansypaw froze, shrinking lower onto the ground, ears flattening and her mind focusing on the leaf with all her might. It swayed to the left, to the right, floating down and down. Tansypaw's tail quivered, but she managed to stop it from disrupting the grass and leaves on the ground. She moved a paw gingerly as the leaf neared the ground. She honed in on it, bunched her muscles, and... pounced! She leaped towards the leaf, pinning it between her paws with ease, practice as a kit paying off. The leaf stood no chance! She had it pinned and it was going no where. Tansypaw gave a proud puff of her chest and turned to look at her mentor with a pleased smile. Leafthroat's expression remained neutral. Tansypaw felt a spike of consciousness run through her. She wasn't a kit. She shouldn't be so happy about pouncing on a leaf. How silly of her. Her tail drooped a bit and she tried to copy her pale brown tabby mentor's indifferent expression.

Leafthroat gave a slow nod. "The pounce was good, but the bird would have flown away by now."

He stopped his words and left a awkward silence. Tansypaw gave an ear flick. Should she say something?

"Was it because of my tail?" Tansypaw asked anxiously. Leafthroat gave a blink. Tansypaw took that at a yes. She silently scolded her tail for betraying her like this. Tansypaw's mind rolled. "Hmm," she mumbled thoughtfully. "And my timing. I felt like my paws might have skimmed the leaf were they not a forward a bit." Leafthroat gave her a quiet nod. Tansypaw's chest bounced with pride. Leafthroat was happy that she could identify where she went wrong! That surely meant she could improve.

Leafthroat kicked up another leaf, and Tansypaw repeated the process, this time she actually missed the leaf with one paw. She quickly identified her fault as not being lined up with the prey properly. Then, he tossed another leaf and Tansypaw only hit half of it. She said she could have leaped further if she put more strength into her back legs. He tossed a few more, Tansypaw only missing one, before he raised his tail for her to stop.

"Go track down the bluebird," the tom said. Tansypaw gave him a surprised look.

"Really? But, I haven't trained for too long, and only on leaves..." Tansypaw trailed off as he gave her a nonchalant look. She bowed her head and scrambled off, realizing that she had to start somewhere. Besides, Leafthroat had even tried to mess up her last attempt and she still got it. Tansypaw headed off towards the scent of the bluebird. She was good at tracking. No doubt Leafthroat knew. She had managed to track him down as a kit when she was three moons because Hailmask needed him on a patrol. And he was pretty well hidden, trying to stay away from the cool breeze that day behind the elder's den. Tansypaw almost surprised herself when she stumbled upon a bluebird fluttering about on the forest floor, pecking at the ground, looking for something. Maybe worms? She didn't realize the scent had gotten stronger. It must have been flying, or something.

Tansypaw crouched down, preparing her bird hunting crouch as soundlessly as possible. Tansypaw crept forward, watching the bird frolic, a little mesmerized. She almost found her tail swaying again, but caught it before it could move. Tansypaw slithered around the grass and ferns, careful not to catch on any, trying to get the best angle. She froze completely, not even moving a whisker, as the bluebird hopped about, unknowingly turning to face her. Tansypaw stayed still, half-way through turning. The bluebird merely pecked at the ground, unbeknownst to the predator, waiting, watching. Tansypaw's wide eyes watched it with no emotion. The bluebird finally turned around, seemingly finding a worm in a spot of drying mud. Tansypaw shifted, lurking forward. Her heart stopped pounding as the moment consumed her. She was a predator hunting her prey. Tansypaw stretched a paw forward, maneuvering around the ferns and weeds. The bluebird was moments from her grasp. She gave a wiggle, and bounce, her claws flying towards the tip of her claws nicked it, but it gave a call of alarm and took flight, feathers fluffed. Tansypaw gave a choked yowl as she tried to chase after the prey. It was gone within seconds, heading off towards the RushingClan border.

Tansypaw sulked back to Leafthroat, dreading having to tell him she lost her prey. She was _so_ close and it just fluttered out of her grasp. Frustration clawed at her belly.

She slinked back into place beside Leafthroat, a dejected look on her face. She didn't meet his soft green eyes. Before she had the chance to say anything, she heard his tail brush against the ferns a bit needlessly, and she glanced up. He still had his famed neutral expression.

"There's no more birds in the area, so we'll move onto squirrels." Leafthroat padded forward. Tansypaw folded her ears back. Wasn't he going to acknowledge the fact Tansypaw had missed the bluebird? Did he not even care? Had he just sent her out for no reason? The point was to catch prey right, not chase it away?

"But what about the bluebird?" Tansypaw blurted, before leaning down to lick her chest, embarrassed.

Leafthroat merely twitched his ears. Something Tansypaw was stating to pick up from him.

"What about it?" Leafthroat questioned, obviously knowing what was about 'it'.

"I don't have it!" Tansypaw exclaimed. "I didn't catch it."

Leafthroat blinked warmly. "I know. I didn't expect you to catch it. No apprentice does, not on their first try. Only Flyshade has, and that was by pure luck. The bird hit him in the face."

Tansypaw had to hold back a snort of amusement. Of course the arrogant tom had been hit in the face by a bird on his first time hunting. Tansypaw's body gently shook in a silent purr.

Leafthroat turned. "Now, back to squirrels." Leafthroat gestured to her with his tail. "Show me your squirrel hunting technique."

Tansypaw didn't remember learning any, so she just went with the simple mouse hunting technique, imagining a squirrel in front of her paws. Leafthroat gave her a moment before sweeping the ground with his tail, rattling the fallen leaves.

"Fix the angle of your paws," Leafthroat told her. Tansypaw did so. Once Leafthroat was satisfied, he tossed the leaves in the air. Tansypaw caught five of them, missed two, and then set Tansypaw out to find a squirrel.

The squirrel was easier to track than the bluebird, except for the part where it was really rubbing up against the RushingClan border before turning back. Tansypaw found the grey squirrel nibbling on a nut, ears pricked for predators and eyes dashing about. Tansypaw leaned down, keeping her tail in check as she swiftly moved forward, pausing at the base of a tree. The squirrel looked up and glanced around before resuming to eating its nut. Tansypaw wiggled, confident in her paws. But the squirrel must have heard the leaf's crunching beneath her weight, or felt the stare of her predatory eyes, and it suddenly whipped around, staring Tansypaw dead in the eyes, before launching off. Tansypaw immediately gave chase after it. It slipped between two trees, heading for the dark oak tree with a lot of low hanging branches. It began scrambling up the tree, and Tansypaw immediately tried to slam herself into it. She managed to whack the grey squirrel off of the tree, but she cut her paw pad on the bark and gave a yelp, tumbling down. The squirrel began to pick itself up, but a long-legged pale brown tabby slipped out from between the trees, slamming a paw down onto the squirrel's back.

Tansypaw wiggled, rolling over and off of her back, recomposing herself and settling her ruffled fur. She dipped her head to Leafthroat, a mix of respect and embarrassment.

Leafthroat gave a tilt of his head. "I appreciate your style, but try not to ram yourself into trees next time."

Tansypaw nervously shuffled her paws with a low chuckle.

Leafthroat put the squirrel off to the side, hiding it amongst the brambles. For the next while, they practiced other hunting crouches, without any close prey to practice on.

Eventually, Smokespark and Owlwing padded into the area where Leafthroat and her where training. Smokespark had a robin in his smiling mouth, warm dark green eyes glowing, while Owlwing tiredly held two mice from their tails.

"How's training going?" Smokespark said chirpily, holding his tail high. Owlwing blinked at his daughter with blurry eyes. Tansypaw gave her father a small, nervous smile.

"Good," Leafthroat praised. "She's quick on her feet and sharp in her mind. An impressive SpruceClan warrior in the making." Tansypaw puffed out her chest in pride. She glanced at her creamy-bellied father, waiting for his approval. He merely stared at her, standing still, the only movement was the rise of his chest. Tansypaw tried not to let herself get upset. It wasn't her father's fault. That was just the way he was.

Leafthroat flicked his tail at Tansypaw, a sign for her to go collect the squirrel they had caught. Tansypaw frolicked through the ferns, heading towards the RushingClan border without the wall. The wall didn't stretch across the whole RushingClan border, after all. It broke off and restarted down at the Gathering Place, with a small gap, then it started again, dotting on the FallenClan border before finally stopping.

Tansypaw walked to the spot Leafthroat had left the grey squirrel.

The place looked like a battle had gone down.

Ferns were crumpled all around, grass was ripped from the ground. Dirt had been kicked around and a muddy patch on RushingClan's side of the border from last night's light shower had been smeared, like a body had been dragged across it. Twigs had been cracked and a flower had been bent and twisted. Paw prints vaguely littered the ground, grass smushed down. Tansypaw couldn't tell if the scent of RushingClan was from the other side of the border or if a cat had walked onto SpruceClan's side. The scent would have been more prominent, surely, as the squirrel hadn't been stashed _that_ close to the border. But the brambles that had hidden the grey squirrel, masking its scent, had been tussled with and thrown aside.

And the squirrel was gone.

* * *

 **Owo what did you think of this chapter? Ready for some conflict? Favorite character so far?**

 **Bonus Fact; Original SweetClan and RushingClan was called JuniperClan, when RushingClan split it was called RushClan and RushingClan, BrokenClan was called ConeClan, and SullenClan was called MarshClan (after Joystar's mother, nothing to do with their territory. it's foggy and a bit damp, not marshy), SpruceClan and FallenClan was called SpruceClan, when FallenClan split they were called PepperClan (after the temporary leader, they had some leader issues) then TreeClan, when PondClan split from SweetClan, it was called PondClan**

 **Leave a review or critique!**

 **-Lolling**


	11. Chap9: Taken in a Rush

_**PhoenixRune:**_ **thank you for submitting Phoenixkit! :) luckily, Smokespark _was_ a kittypet/rogue, so it would make sense for him to name a kit kittypet-like :)) Maybe one day she'll be a leader ;3 her personality/backstory may change as she grows up, and her suffix will be randomized**

 **Fun Fact: BrokenClan has the largest territory, the most prey scarce land, and the most rogue-infested land. RushingClan and SullenClan tie for second largest, then FallenClan (not counting the depth of the tunnels and caves), then SpruceClan, MoonClan, and finally PondClan with the smallest land (because they sucked at defending way back when the wimps, friggin' "ambition" pfft)**

 **If anyone else wants to submit a kit, you are welcome to! Make sure to tell me who the parents are, and make sure the kit genetically works with the parents chosen**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 9**

"Lightpaw!"

The light gray she-cat fluffed out her fur as her name was called. A red tabby dashed up to her with bright yellow eyes. Lightpaw tilted her head at the excited kit.

"You're going on a hunting patrol today, right?" Redkit asked happily. Lightpaw paused, thinking for a moment. Was she?

"Yeah," Lightpaw said slowly, nodding. "After training with Yellowpaw near the cliffs."

At least, she assumed it was with Yellowpaw. Berrypaw had just returned from dawn patrol and was taking a nap.

Redkit brightly gave a bounce. "Can you catch me a squirrel? They're my favorite prey, and there's no more left in the fresh kill pile..." Redkit looked up at her with big, hopeful eyes.

Lightpaw's fur spiked out self-consciously.

"Oh, I don't know, there's not a lot of squirrels on our territory, and I don't know where the patrol will be heading..." Lightpaw trailed off as Redkit's ears flattened and he had the most broken look on his face.

"That's okay," Redkit mumbled defeatedly. Lightpaw frowned, feeling her chest thump and her heart pull.

"It's just, I don't know if I'll find one..." Lightpaw twitched her white-tipped tail, not knowing what to say. Redkit looked down at the ground sadly.

"I," Lightpaw stuttered. "I... I suppose I can make an effort."

Redkit lit up and gave a pleased bounce. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Redkit leaped forward, nuzzling her neck with his red-striped muzzle. "I promise when I'm an apprentice, I'll hunt you a squirrel! Two squirrels, even!" Redkit smiled happily. Lightpaw melted under his happiness. She could never willingly disappoint him, when he was so cute and joyful. Lightpaw cuffed his ears playfully. Redkit giggled and ducked behind her. The two cats playfully tussled for a bit, Redkit's fluffy gray sister joining in and Rushkit watching from beside his mom.

Lightpaw had to excuse herself as Rosesong called her to train with Yellowpaw and Adderleg. Lightpaw and Yellowpaw sparred a bit down near the cliffs, and soon enough the training was over and Lightpaw went back to camp, chatting with Berrypaw and Ravenshriek, the newest warrior. Eventually, the time of the hunting patrol struck, and Lightpaw with Rosesong, Berrypaw, Prickletail and Squirrelflame climbed out of camp, dipping their heads to Lightshade who stood watchfully at the top of camp.

Squirrelflame bounced around, taking lead with an arrogant stride in his step as they headed in the general direction of Fallow's Creek. Lightpaw felt a twitch of irritation. Squirrelflame was a strange fellow. With some, you never knew he was there, other times, he was always pushing his weight around, trying to command others. He really ticked Lightpaw off. At least Berrypaw and Prickletail were tolerable.

The hunting patrol stopped as the forest near SpruceClan's border started. Squirrelflame, trying to flirt with Rosesong, went partner hunting with her while Prickletail and Berrypaw wandered off. That meant Lightpaw was left alone. Which was alright with her. It meant no one could see her fail at hunting.

Lightpaw scented out a squirrel.

 _'Perfect,'_ Lightpaw thought. If she could just catch this _one_ squirrel, she would be golden. She wouldn't have to catch anything else.

The white-patched she-cat tracked down to squirrel. It was on the edge of the woodlands, looking back out into the moorlands. Lightpaw traversed the ground, making sure everything about her posture was right. She _had_ to get it, she just had to. For Redkit, and for her honor. She would not go a quarter-moon without catching something. She had been an apprentice for _three moons._ She should be catching prey flawlessly by now!

Lightpaw focused on the fluffy-tailed, red squirrel, claws slipping out momentarily. The squirrel was as quick and sporadic as a rabbit, but not as big. So she'd just have to be more accurate, right? The squirrel was close enough to the fields for her to not care about the trees. She stalked closer and closer, and with a wiggle she pounced with all her might. But she missed.

Her paws had been to close together, and she had lost momentum in her jump. The squirrel had gone under her belly and up the nearest tree.

Lightpaw silently cursed herself. She could hear StarClan laughing at her. With a glare, she stared at the light blue sky.

She would just have to try again.

She found the scent of a mouse, but it had ran away after she got too close. Lightpaw moped about, tail dragging. She would never be a good hunter. She'd just have to accept it and never amount to anything in her life. A good warrior would be able to hunt even a mouse. The best she could do was cut off rabbits in partner hunting.

Lightpaw trudged along near the SpruceClan border. Her head lifted up as she scented squirrel. A bit recent. It was really pushing it, slipping over to the SpruceClan border and back into RushingClan's territory. Lightpaw pricked her ears, trying to follow the scent to the best of her ability. It drove into the RushingClan border, and if she peered between the trees, she could see a weakly hidden lump in the brambles. And fresh SpruceClan scent.

Her heart pounded.

That was a squirrel. A free squirrel. Just sitting there. Waiting for her to pick it up and take it back to camp and back to Redkit. Already caught. No trouble and worry and fret as she wondered if her posture was right as she hunted down her prey. Just a squirrel. Open and meaty.

But it wasn't _just_ a squirrel. It was SpruceClan's squirrel. One of their cats had hunted it, had actually been able to hunt it, and she was just going to take it. She knew she was rude, but she wasn't a thief. That was BrokenClan.

 _'But SpruceClan has a bunch of cats, and BrokenClan to hunt for them,'_ Lightpaw reasoned. _'They won't miss a squirrel.'_

Lightpaw flattened her ears and frowned. She shouldn't take it. It was wrong. She would get caught. She would get in trouble. This wasn't what a warrior did. A warrior didn't steal.

 _'But its for Redkit,'_ Lightpaw argued. _'Besides, who would even know? Lying worked so well last time. No one would question a squirrel.'_

Lightpaw took a breath. This was wrong. She shouldn't even be thinking of stealing it.

 _'They shouldn't have left it so close to the border, it's their fault,'_ Lightpaw sneered mentally. She took another shaky breath, tail tip twitching.

 _'The patrol must be close by if they were so confident in leaving it there,'_ Lightpaw persuaded herself. _'I'll get caught.'_

 _'But not if I go quick.'_

And just like that, Lightpaw had zipped in. Her heart was pounding, oh _StarClan_ , this was all wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. But she had to, didn't she? She had to. Because she needed to be a warrior. And a warrior provided for their clan. A warrior would provide for Redkit. He was the clan. Lightpaw just had to get the squirrel. If SpruceClan couldn't defend its prey, why couldn't she take it? Yeah, that made sense. If she just ignored everything wrong with it. This was against the Warrior Code. An elder would advise her not to do it.

Lightpaw ripped the brambles off of the grey squirrel. She stamped on the ferns. If she mad the scene all messy, surely no one would question her? She wasn't messy. She squished the squirrel a bit, giving it a light tug, cutting its soft flesh. A messy kill was different from the SpruceClan cat's clean kill, yes? Lightpaw grabbed the fern and ran back across the border, heart beating. She slipped in a mud puddle, and it smeared across the ground. Lightpaw shakily got back up, shaking out her muddy light gray pelt. She got further and further away from the border, only stopping when she was positive she had not been caught. She dropped the grey squirrel, now disgruntled and bleeding. Her legs trembled. Was this really worth it?

Lightpaw hid the squirrel under a bush. She had to clean the evidence off. She pelted it down to Fallow's Creek, surprising herself with how much speed she could muster up. But, StarClan, she felt so anxious. She was a sinner. She had stolen. She hoped no one saw her madly running down to Fallow's Creek. Was it always this far away?

She burst into the damp green grass of Fallow's Creek. She ran down to the river, dipping the muddy side of her down into the water, making sure not to fall in. Once she was satisfied with the amount of mud she washed off, she licked her fur to spike it out. Slowly, she left Fallow's Creek and walked back to her _steal_. Lightpaw picked up her- _the_ grey squirrel. Lightpaw felt unease ripple through her whole body. Someone would find out. Wouldn't SpruceClan find it weird their prey went missing so close to the border? They would be suspicious.

The bushes rumbled, and Lightpaw's clanmate's scent flooded her nostrils. A dark ginger tom with a dark stripe on his tail and Lightpaw's mentor appeared from the forest.

"Nice catch," Squirrelflame said snarkily, whiskers twitching, as he looked at the messy, bloody squirrel. He had a brown mouse at his paws. Rosesong gave a warmer blink. She had a plump squirrel at her paws.

"Are you okay? You seem a bit shaken," Rosesong asked kindly. Lightpaw shook out her fur. If she didn't look so suspicious, no one would know.

"I... I'm fine, just slipped up a bit," Lightpaw murmured, trying to stand up taller and more confidently.

"Well, alright then," Rosesong stated flicking her tail. "Come on, Berrypaw and Prickeltail have already started heading back."

Squirrelflame began heading back to the moorlands, Rosesong tailing after. Lightpaw trailed after them dismissively, still feeling sick at herself.

But as she entered camp, she guessed it was all worth it. Redkit had jumped up at her in joy once she saw she had the squirrel. It didn't matter that the grey squirrel was overly-wounded, he still happily ate it, sharing some with her and with Sootkit when she had popped up to annoy him.

Lightpaw settled down. Redkit leaned against her and Sootkit yapped in front of them. Her heart stopped pounding for the moment. Nothing bad had happened. No one noticed. No one cared. No one suspected anything. She was just providing for her clan. Lightpaw felt her tail shiver for a bit, and she wondered if she was catching a cold near the end of greenleaf.

Lightpaw curled off, wanting to go to sleep, but alas, things wouldn't go her way. As she began to drift off, Lightshade suddenly yowled.

Lightpaw jerked up, Redkit scrambling up to his feet beside her. Sootkit paused in her chattering and looked at Lightshade peculiarly. Rushkit froze beside where he was cuddling with his mom, Redstorm, a white she-cat with red tabby patches. Those in camp, which was pretty much every cat except for Curlflame, Ravenshriek, Adderleg and Yellowpaw, who were on separate border patrols in twos.

Lightshade glared from the top of the camp as the bulky forms of SpruceClan cats invaded. An intimidating large, sleek white tom with a gray mask around his blue eyes and a gray tail tip led them. That was SpruceClan's deputy, Hailmask. The other SpruceClan cats with him were a large-shouldered tom known as Leafthroat, a pale tortoiseshell Lightpaw didn't know, a thin red-brown tom Lightpaw believed was named Antwhisker, and a folded eared black tom with white paws that Lightpaw had met at a gathering, who's name was Tallhawk.

Lightpaw felt herself freeze in fear. They had noticed. And they were here to call her out, perhaps even kill her. Redkit stared at them with wide, buggy eyes, stepping back and flattening his ears.

Adderleg, a dark brown tom with one white leg, hopped into camp frantically behind the SpruceClanners.

"I tried to stop them!" He yowled, his apprentice, Yellowpaw, hovering behind him. "They just wouldn't- they just demanded-!"

Dawnstar, the golden leader of RushingClan, slipped out of her den, and proudly padded forward to meet the SpruceClan cats. Gravelflake and Ripplebriar flanked her, while Berrypaw, Prickletail and Aspenflight began swarming behind her. The rest of the cats dispersed around the SpruceClan cats.

Dawnstar dipped her head to Hailmask formally. "What seems to be a big enough problem to invade our land?"

Hailmask gave a light hiss and narrowed his eyes. "Our prey has been stolen."

Dawnstar blinked, twisting her head. "How does that pertain to my clan?"

Hailmask lashed his tail. "Because it was stolen near your border." Leafthroat stepped forward with meaning, and the pale tortoiseshell she-cat stayed beside him.

"The place was a mess. Ferns stamped on, mud streaked everywhere," Leafthroat informed them. The pale tortoiseshell nodded. Lightpaw felt herself sink. Had she stolen the pale tortoiseshell's kill? She looked like a new apprentice. Lightpaw felt mean.

Dawnstar narrowed her bright amber eyes. "My clan doesn't steal. Are you sure it wasn't a BrokenClan cat?"

"BrokenClan is our ally!" Antwhisker yowled, fur spiking. "They would never!"

"BrokenClan is known for stealing," Dawnstar explained calmly. Prickletail mumbled his agreement and Berrypaw and Redstorm gave nods. Rushkit buried his white and light gray face into his mother's side.

The SpruceClan cats lashed their tails and hissed at the insult, as if it was directed at them.

Tallhawk dipped his head in a more friendly manner. "We would know if they had stolen anything. This squirrel had been stolen at your border."

Dawnstar took a slow breath. "If it was one of my cats, they would speak up."

Hailmask hissed. "Are you sure?"

Dawnstar whipped her tail and unsheathed her claws. "If you can be so confident about _BrokenClan,_ I can be certain in my _own_ clan."

Hailmask glared at her and gave a low huff. Antwhisker shuffled on the deputy's right. "Did you have any hunting patrols down there?" Antwhisker persuaded.

"One," Rosesong called out. She twitched her tail nervously.

"Who was on it?" Hailmask snarled.

Lightpaw couldn't take it. She made a small noise and suddenly the blue-eyed deputy had his eyes on her. She felt fear consume her. Lightpaw raised a paw submissively, but held her ground.

"I-I was on it..." Lightpaw said weakly before clearing her throat. She wasn't going out now. She made it this far. No way was she going to get in trouble. "I caught a squirrel, b-but it was a messy kill. I had caught it and crashed under a bush, w-which is why it ended up ripped." Redkit leaned into her side comfortingly and Lightpaw saw Berrypaw give her a sympathetic look.

Hailmask jerked his head up, scanning the camp. "Do you have it as proof?"

"N-no," Redkit squeaked out. "I ate it." He dropped his head down and turned a sad gaze to the ground. Hailmask seemed to back off a little bit. He gave a growl.

"I suppose a rogue could have slipped in and snatched it," Hailmask said, but with the way his shoulders where squared, it seemed like he didn't believe it. "They have been acting up down at BrokenClan's cliff borders, though." Lightpaw's ears twitched. How would they know that? Did BrokenClan tell them or something?

Hailmask gathered his warriors and dipped his head to Dawnstar begrudgingly. "Thank you for your time, Dawnstar."

Dawnstar raised her head. "Next time, Hailmask, don't come barging in with a reason as petty as stolen prey. Do we look like MoonClan to you?"

Hailmask gave her a sharp glare before retreating out of the camp. His warriors followed after him and Lightshade gave them a small hiss as the last of them left. Adderleg, Yellowpaw, and Gravelflake saw them out and tailed them, most likely back to their territory.

"The nerve of them," Ripplebriar huffed, lashing her long tortoiseshell tail.

"That's SpruceClan," Waspcloud murmured from where she was peaking out from the nursery. She retreated back into the den to take care of Bravekit, Shortsong following after her to see to the sickly kit.

Dawnstar flicked her tail to her clan. "From now on, keep a look out for SpruceClan _and_ rogues." The clan announced their understanding with light mews and nods.

Lightpaw felt herself sink in both fear and relief. She had been so close to breaking.

Redkit licked her shoulder. "That was so brave of you to speak up like that!" He praised, muzzling her. Lightpaw gave a small purr.

"Heh, y-you too," Lightpaw stammered. Sootkit bounced.

"Wow! That was scary!" Sootkit shook out her gray pelt. "I know Quailbird says SpruceClan's always so bossy, but I never thought they'd be as bossy as to just come into camp like that!"

Lightpaw's white tail tip twitched. "That's why you listen to your elders," she murmured distantly.

* * *

 **Uh oh ;)~ Things are heating up between RushingClan and SpruceClan, hmmm? How's your opinion of Lightpaw going? Do you ship Rosesong X Aspenflight or Rosesong X Squirrelflame more?**

 **Note: It's the middle of greenleaf, but it's just a little more leaf-fall-y this year 'round**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	12. Chap10: A Feverful Golden Sunshine

**Fun Fact: Timberstrike and Wolfspring are gay mates and SullenClan is very accepting of them and Quilcloud is nursing Timberstrike's kits for them, Wasppaw and Flintpaw are gay for eachother but don't realize it, Beefrost is agender/gender-neutral (because I forgot to list his gender), Fidgetpaw is a trangender (listed him as a she-cat when he's a tom) and Zuzie is a lesbian, she just doesn't have an attraction to anyone in her clan and still wants kits. plenty o' cats are bi/pan/poly/demi/ace**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 10**

Sorrelpaw rolled, a small bundle of white chasing after her. She gave a laugh as she was tackled by the white tom-kit with a black spot on his head and tail tip. The tom-kit gave a squeal of enjoyment as he bounced on her chest. Sorrelpaw nudged him off.

"Ouph!" Sorrelpaw cried. "You're so heavy!"

The yellow-eyed tom-kit zipped around her, prodding her.

"C'mon, get up!" He chattered. "Up, up, up, you lazy badger!"

Sorrelpaw gave a purr as she pulled herself up. The tom-kit's brother, a silver tabby tom-kit with darker yellow eyes, clawed playfully at the orange-ginger she-cat's white-tipped tail. Sorrelpaw swiped her paw at the white tom-kit and he tumbled over with a squeak. The silver tom-kit hopped about, jumping over Sorrelpaw's tail and getting under his paws. Sorrelpaw crouched down and pretend to pounce at the kits like they were prey. They squealed happily and ran around, giggling and tripping over their own paws.

"I'm an evil badger and I'm here to gobble you up!" Sorrelpaw fake roared. She swiped a paw at the silver tom-kit. "Rawr! I'm going to eat your guts, Minnowkit!" Minnowkit let out a fearful giggle and ducked under her paw, scrambling around.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Minnowkit's brother mewed. He launched at the apprentice. "Paws off my brother, badger!"

"Oh no, Havenkit, be careful!" Minnowkit squeaked, standing on his hind legs as Havenkit nuzzle-attacked Sorrelpaw. Sorrelpaw pretended to fall, pitifully swiping at the absolutely vicious tom-kit.

"Ah!" Sorrelpaw yowled, throwing her head to the side as Havenkit avenged his brother. She lolled her tongue out. "I am defeated! I am no match for the powerful and mighty Havenkit!"

"And his faithful brother Minnowkit," Havenkit added. Minnowkit sprinted up and head-butted Sorrelpaw. Sorrelpaw went limp under Havenkit's claws and Minnowkit's nudging, closing her eyes.

"Sorrelpaw?" Minnowkit squeaked out after a couple of moments of prodding the orange-ginger cat. Sorrelpaw remained still and unmoving. Havenkit slipped off of her side. He glanced worriedly at the she-cat.

"Sorrelpaw?" Havenkit tried. He nudged her with his cold nose. "You're not dead are you?"

"We didn't kill her did we?" Minnowkit whispered anxiously.

"I hope not," Havenkit murmured hurriedly. "If we did, do you think Spiderstar will delay our apprentice ceremonies?"

Minnowkit let out a rumble of indistinguishable noises and a low whine. Havenkit remained silent, paws pressed into Sorrelpaw's side. Sorrelpaw made sure not to breath to obviously.

"Sorrelpaw, please stop being dead," Minnowkit pleaded. Sorrelpaw had to stop herself from chuckling.

"Alright, so here's the plan," Havenkit suddenly began. "I say we go steal Beefrost's herbs and make it seem like she was eating stuff she shouldn't, and if anyone asks, we tell Goldenpaw and convince her to frame someone for us and then-"

Sorrelpaw lurched up and Minnowkit and Havenkit let out kit-screams, jumping away in terror.

"Alright, alright, you little murderers," Sorrelpaw teased. "Planning my death already, are you?"

"We're sorry!" Minnowkit wailed. Havenkit fluffed out his fur.

"You scared us!" Havenkit blurted. The two kits swarmed her, licking her pelt and poking her, trying to win her mercy and mewing things like "Don't tell Spiderstar!" and "We didn't mean it!"

Sorrelpaw swiped her tail at them, settling them down. "Don't worry, kits, Spiderstar isn't going to delay your apprenticeship or anything. You're fine."

Havenkit rubbed against her paws. "I hope so. I promise not to frame someone else again."

Sorrelpaw licked the black spot on his head.

"Kits!" A voice called out warmly. Havenkit and Minnowkit turned around, eyes lighting up as they spotted the spikey-furred Wolfspring. His mate, Timberstrike, stood proudly beside him while their birth mother, Quilcloud, a fat gray she-cat with dark stripes and light green eyes, looked on fondly from where she crouched beside Wolfspring.

"How are you doing today?" Wolfspring asked, nuzzling them. The two tom-kits pounced cheerfully on their parents.

"Good!" They squealed. Sorrelpaw watched on with affection brimming in her eyes. The three cats were popular among the clan, and very good parents to the two kits.

Wolfspring covered them with affection, Quilcloud cared for them and taught them what they needed to know, and Timberstrike was always looking out and watching over them. Sorrelpaw felt a wistful twist in her heart. She wished she had a family like that. At least she could see Tornspots and his kits at gatherings, but Stormwing... She would forever be wandering the land, without seeing her kin ever again. Sorrelpaw supposed she should be more thankful for the older sibling and littermates in her own clan, and stop thinking about her MoonClan kin.

A cheery, low voice with an awkward voice crack that popped up every once and awhile shouted at Sorrelpaw. Sorrelpaw looked over her shoulder to see the large-eared pale golden tabby medicine cat tom with equally pale golden eye bounding toward her, a brighter tabby she-cat with white paws beside him with every step and herbs dangling from her mouth in typical medicine cat fashion.

Sorrelpaw dipped her head to Beefrost, and his apprentice, Goldenpaw.

"Hi Beefrost, whatdya need?" Sorrelpaw chirped. She tried to catch Goldenpaw's gaze but she seemed more concerned with blankly staring ahead.

"I was wondering if you could accompany Goldenpaw while she goes out to collect herbs down by the river?" Beefrost asked just as chirpily as Sorrelpaw had.

Sorrelpaw tilted her head confusedly. "Why?" Goldenpaw never needed assistance before.

"Because Marigoldflight's informed us that RushingClan hasn't been very eager in marking their borders, which is suspicious. Usually they jump at a chance to over-mark their borders," Beefrost explained.

Sorrelpaw scrunched up her nose. "That's not really anything bad. They probably just got caught up with something."

"Yes, perhaps, but any danger for RushingClan is danger for us," Beefrost stated wisely. Sorrelpaw nodded out of respect and hopped over to Goldenpaw.

"Alright sis, ready to rumble?" Sorrelpaw purred energetically. Her golden sister merely blinked calmly. Sorrelpaw felt a prickle of waspishness. She knew Fennelpaw was also silent, but she had more interest in Sorrelpaw than Goldenpaw, who was just more distant than anything.

Beefrost left them with a tail wag and Goldenpaw turned around, setting the herbs down beside Dappleburr, a bright but pale tortoiseshell with one blue eye and one brown eye, who was known as the camp-fixer-upper. She was often in camp, organizing everything, dispatching fights and keeping the walls secure. Sorrelpaw was a little surprised she was up right now as she was more of a night-warrior. Dappleburr snatched up the herbs carefully and whisked off to the medicine cat den.

Sorrelpaw looked at Goldenpaw wearily, unsure what to do. Her sister walked to the camp entrance and exited, so Sorrelpaw followed her. About halfway through their trek, in which they were heading down to the small lake with a smaller island in the middle of it. The last cat to attempt to swim to the island was Shiningscar, who had failed miserably. Sorrelpaw was tempted to, but knew better. While it wasn't impossible, no cat in SullenClan was a PondClan cat, so swimming wasn't exactly in their nature.

"Sooooo," Sorrelpaw gulped, nervous. "What herbs are we lookin' for?"

"Medicinal," Goldenpaw said monotonously. Sorrelpaw dead-panned before giving an awkward, breathy chuckle.

"Um, what kind of medicin _al_ herbs are we gathering?" Sorrelpaw tried.

"Medi _ci_ nal," Goldenpaw said.

"What?" Sorrelpaw stumbled a bit with her footing as she turned to stare at her sister.

"Medi _ci_ nal, not medicin _al_ ," Goldenpaw corrected.

"Um, okay?" Sorrelpaw wrinkled her nose in puzzlement. She didn't really care how words were pronounced. They were words after all. Only kits needed to learn words.

The two sisters walked in silence for the rest of the way. For one, it was awkward and tense, the other, unbothering and wanted. Sorrelpaw focused on looking at each passing plant, trying to see if she could tell if any where herbs. A few looked suspiciously like horsetail or other herbs, but since Goldenpaw didn't react, she supposed they weren't, or that Goldenpaw didn't need them. Sorrelpaw followed her sister with light steps. She took the time to notice how Goldenpaw's pawsteps were heavy and unconcerned, something that a warrior wouldn't have. Sorrelpaw wondered what it would be like if Goldenpaw was a warrior. She had expressed no want to be a medicine cat as a kit, but at the ceremony, Beefrost had been announced her mentor. Sorrelpaw had been shocked, but then congratulated her sister happily. Her sister had been eager, but slowly the eager, curious kit became subdued and humorless in the moon of her apprenticeship. At least she still held her well-manners.

Sorrelpaw breathed in the air. She scented nothing of medicinal herbs, but she could scent a patrol consisting of Darkpaw, Heatherheart, Wetcloud and Twigstripe had just passed by. The light scent of mouse blood tinged the air, so she assumed the patrol was one of the hunting caliber.

Sorrelpaw glanced at Goldenpaw. Would she also be thinking of this? Just because she was a medicine cat apprentice didn't mean she couldn't scent out her clanmates and what they were doing. Or perhaps she would be more focused on tracking herbs?

As they continued on walking, Sorrelpaw caught the scent trail of a pigeon and her mouth watered and her whiskers twitched. Pigeon was so rare! She wish she could chase after it. But, glancing at her focused sister, she supposed she ought to wait until she was sent on a hunting patrol. Sorrelpaw was ansty, and she hopped on her paws, wanting to run about and sniff around. Was this what being a medicine cat was like? Casually strolling along, no cares in the world, looking around for herbs? Sorrelpaw couldn't handle it. She wanted to jump, to burst, to do something! How could someone stand not moving about?

Goldenpaw stopped, walking over to a clump of plants. Sorrelpaw hopped over. She nosed at the herbs.

"What are these? Are these watermint?" Sorrelpaw pestered. The herbs were long stemmed with pale purple tiny balls scattered about.

"It's purple," Goldenpaw mewed sharply, but not waspishly.

"So?" Sorrelpaw said, standing on her toes and bouncing up and down excitingly.

"Lavender is purple and grows on long stems," Goldenpaw recited.

"What does it do?" Sorrelpaw asked, trying to hold onto conversation, though it was hard when everything Goldenpaw said seemed to be a conversation end.

"Lavender subdues colds and cures fevers," Goldenpaw explained simply. She pulled at the stems, twisted her claws, and sliced it clean. She gently tossed the lavender at Sorrelpaw's paws and Sorrelpaw inspected it with a curious gave and a strong sniff. Sorrelpaw gingerly picked it up between her fangs, whiskers raising. She lashed her tail as the little lavender balls tickled her nose. Goldenpaw dug up some dirt around the lavender patch to make the soil softer, before turning around and padding away. Sorrelpaw glanced back at the two lavender's left standing, before chasing after her sister.

Goldenpaw traveled around, dancing between herb patches, sniffing them and leaving without out pulling or collecting any. When Sorrelpaw asked why, Goldenpaw vaguely answered "Ripeness and over-stocking."

Sorrelpaw really tried to stay cheerful, she really did, but Goldenpaw's vague answers to well-meant questions and lack of response or sharp remarks were _really_ starting to irritate her. Couldn't her sister at least try to be sociable? Fennelpaw, although similarly quiet, didn't _deny_ conversations, and Darkpaw with his own hostility still spoke. It seemed like Heatherheart and Sorrelpaw were the only convivial kits of Stormwing and Tornspots, though for her half-siblings she could not say. Sorrelpaw briefly wondered if Maplebush or Darkpatch had any kits, which would be more of Sorrelpaw's kin. If they had, Sorrelpaw had heard no talk of it.

Goldenpaw took off, snapping a twig, to the direction of SullenClan's open border, which started where the cliffs smoothed out and a prey plentiful forest that no clan claimed due to PondClan being too meak, SullenClan not liking the low-hanging trees and overly-brightness of it and MoonClan only claiming what was directly on the cliffs. The MoonCave, holder of the Starstone, while still technically on the cliffs, bordered the west of the unclaimed forest, and then past that forest was the twolegplace.

Goldenpaw stopped to sniff the ground, her eyes suddenly taking a sharpness. Sorrelpaw didn't see any herbs or plants under her nose so she furrowed her eyebrows and began scenting the air for what her sister was smelling. Sorrelpaw couldn't smell anything odd, at first, until the scent of something musky and milky hit her nose. The fresh scent was unfamiliar to her. It smelled soft, in a way, tender, more friendly and open, but apart of it had left fear scent, as if the creature had been in a panic, and not just a short-lived panic. Scratch that, not a creature, this was the scent of a cat. A she-cat, Sorrelpaw believed.

"Kittypet," Goldenpaw murmured out with a light scowl. She waved her tail dismissively, though.

"What?" Sorrelpaw fluffed out her shoulder fur, shocked. "How do you know?"

"Smells like MoonClan, but muskier, more tainted, not as sweet," Goldenpaw described gently, before turning away to poke threw some green leaved plants. Sorrelpaw twitched her ear, the sound of the flowing river that bordered RushingClan reaching her ears in a sense of calm. The border there, touching open grounds, SullenClan, RushingClan and the cliffs, was not regularly marked since it was off pushed in a corner.

Sorrelpaw searched the scent up and down, trying to memorize it and both try to pick up any hostility from it. The scent was very fresh, it had probably just left. Maybe it had been spooked off when Goldenpaw had stepped on the twig? Or had it just been trying to get in and out as quick as possible? Had it stolen anything? The scent of squirrel was hidden underneath the loud scent of silky kittypet. Sorrelpaw couldn't tell if the kittypet had hunted the squirrel or if the squirrel had just been there before the kittypet had entered the scene.

"Sorrelpaw!" Goldenpaw's voice called out loudly, sounding irritated and onerous. Sorrelpaw jumped up, fur spiking out. Her sister angrily stamped back over to her and sent a glare to where Sorrelpaw had dropped her bundle of herbs.

"What are you doing?" Goldenpaw growled lowly, getting agitated for the first time. Her tail lashed about, fluffed out. Sorrelpaw frowned. Why was she suddenly angry with her?

"What do you mean?" Sorrelpaw whined, but in a motoric way. "There was a kittypet smell all over our territory! Of course I'm going to investigate it." What was there to not understand? Just because Goldenpaw was a medicine cat didn't mean she should ignore an invading cat.

Goldenpaw's bright amber eyes glowed. "It's a _kittypet._ What's it gonna do? It was probably just curious, is all, and then got scared and took flight. Wimpish. I doubt it's going to cause trouble," Goldenpaw spat direly.

"It could have taken prey!" Sorrelpaw argued helplessly. Her sister just didn't understand.

Goldenpaw rolled her eyes. "What patrol even comes here enough to catch anything? This is useless land. Only tansy and thyme grows here."

Sorrelpaw flexed her claws unhappily. "What if RushingClan decided this land was an easy take, then? Since it's so useless, we must not want it! It would be much more swifter to claim than Running Rocks."

Goldenpaw's muzzle began twisting into a snarl, fangs flashing. "RushingClan barely knows this land exists! They don't want it. They want Tall Rocks- Running Rocks, whatever." Goldenpaw straightened up, looming threatening, a dark gaze in her rich, vivid eyes. Sorrelpaw felt her gaze slipping away from Goldenpaw's and looking at the short-furred golden tabby's shoulders that rippled with muscles and bunched with strength. Sorrelpaw took a moment to wonder if medicine cat's had fighting practice. Surely they would, in case of an unexpected attack? They knew how to hunt, for the most part.

"Why don't you care about the possible threat?" Sorrelpaw murmured, challenging her sister, but still leaning down, gaze low.

Goldenpaw gave a huff. "'Possible threat'? A kittypet, a possible threat? You can tell by the scent that the kittypet is too soft because of it's easy life handed down to it by its twolegs. It couldn't lift a paw, I bet it's so fat. Overfed weakling."

Sorrelpaw flinched down. She'd never known _this_ side to her sister. It was so heated, snarling and intense. She hadn't expected something so fierce from the small-eared apprentice.

"What's gotten into you?" Sorrelpaw accused quietly. Goldenpaw turned onto her with blazing eyes. Sorrelpaw had set her off into more wrath.

"What's gotten into _me_?" Goldenpaw repeated, smoldering in pent-up fury. "Look me in the eyes, _Sorrelpaw,_ and ask me again, 'what's gotten into me', because I'll tell you now, it's not just 'gotten into me', _Sorrelpaw_ , it's been there for awhile now, you're just too giddy, lost in your own world to see."

Sorrelpaw's eyes shined with emotion. Part of her was afraid, another was sympathetic and worried about her sister, but yet another was still irked.

"Was it me?" Sorrelpaw assumed. Before her sister could respond, she stormed on. "I'm sorry, it's just, I'm a warrior apprentice and you're a medicine cat apprentice, so we don't get a lot of time together, I just-"

"How _thrush-brained_ can you be too assume that you're the problem? No, Sorrelpaw, I don't care much for you, or Darkpaw, or Fennelpaw, or even Heatherheart or Tornspots," Goldenpaw snapped, claws digging into the hard ground. "I have my own problems, and I doubt you have yours, in your perfect little world."

"That's not true!" Sorrelpaw interrupted. "Yesterday, I fell into the river during training!"

Goldenpaw rolled her eyes in vexation. "Aww, really? Did you catch a wittle cold? How cumbersome!"

Sorrelpaw jumped up and bristled at the mockery. "Why are you being so rude, Goldenpaw? You used to be so kind and eager!"

Goldenpaw snarled, eyes narrowing. "So I just have to conform and stay like that forever? I can't change or have feelings that aren't 'kind' and 'eager'?"

"What? No!" Sorrelpaw sputtered. "But- It's just, I mean- you-"

"Save it, Sorrelpaw," Goldenpaw hissed darkly. "This isn't helping both of us."

Sorrelpaw's pelt prickled, metaphorically and literally. "But I want to help you!" Sorrelpaw yowled desperately. "Is it because you didn't want to be a medicine cat?"

"StarClan, just stop! Stop assuming! If you just thought and stopped shouting out random things, if you weren't so focused on what's current, and start thinking about what's happened, what is and what isn't, maybe you'd figure it out," Goldenpaw said, shaking her head, fangs bared. "I'm not some specimen for you to dissect."

"You aren't!" Sorrelpaw whimpered woefully. "But what is it! Why can't you tell me?"

"Because you're annoying!" Goldenpaw spat, jerking a paw forward. "You'd just ramble over me and try to keep fixing everything, when it can't be fixed! It's every cat for themselves, Sorrelpaw."

Sorrelpaw opened and closed her mouth. Pique and displeasure pushed at her. Why couldn't her sister give her a chance? "I want to help. How can I help when you can't tell me anything?"

"Did you not just hear what I said?!" Goldenpaw suddenly shrieked, so vehemently. "This is why! This is why! _You_ don't listen! No one cares! No one really cares! Pitying isn't caring! I know that! That's why!" Goldenpaw launched at Sorrelpaw, drawing her claws across Sorrelpaw's cheek. Sorrelpaw gave a indignant squeak, tumbling backwards in shock.

Goldenpaw gave her a snarl, before her eyes... softened? Sorrelpaw didn't know how else to describe it. It was more of... pity. And pitying wasn't caring.

Goldenpaw turned back to her green herb patch, roughly pulling the herbs from the ground- thyme, perhaps?- and, giving Sorrelpaw a glare, stalked off into the undergrowth.

"Hurry up, we don't have anything else of interest to stock up on," Goldenpaw mumbled from her mouthful of herbs.

* * *

 **Ah ah, seems like Goldenpaw's got some anger-issues? Not that this is too important ;) not right now, at least. It's a book or two away. guess you'll never know? Who do you like/support more, Goldenpaw or Sorrelpaw?**

 **this chapter has a lot of words you don't understand, doesn't it?**

 **Bonus Fact; Wasppaw was an only kit, Heatherheart had a sister named Cloverkit, and Fidgetpaw had two dead siblings, a kittypet sister and a rogue brother, Pearpaw- two unnamed siblings probably off at twolegplace**

 **Leave a review or critique! :D**

 **-Lolling**


	13. Chap11: A Familiar Fuzzy Feeling

_**PheonixRune:**_ **ur welcome :) i think i have a little planned for Pheonixkit and her siblings (I only have one other kit planned, Flowerkit, so if you or anyone else want to suggest kit names, you can! Hollyleg's litter is four kits. all kits would be black/grey, no white on them)! Also, I have a lot planned for Goldenpaw! Too bad we probably won't see most off it, due to her secrecy ;( but just know, once this story starts stirring up, Goldenpaw's gonna get more... conflictual, if indirectly**

 **Fun Fact; I have the map of the territory and each camp on paper, including possible future places. It also includes which tree-marks (the claw marks on trees Tansypaw thought of) lead where and each clan's important landmarks**

 **Pun?; Seems like Sorrelpaw and Goldenpaw are in a bit of a... sistuation**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 11**

Puddlepaw did circles around camp. Couldn't PondClan catch a break? Lizardstar had caught a sickness overnight, _again._ She always seemed to be sick these days! What would the other clans think? What if they tried to attack PondClan? They had so little territory already!

Puddlepaw tried to take his mind off of their situation by studying camp. You never know when a cat may try to invade camp, after all. Best to know everything.

The entrance was wide, easy to slip in and out of, easy to attack, easy to defend. The first thing you'd see upon entering would be the back of the medicine cat den. The medicine cat den was a little bit in the middle of camp, but still squished back to the walls. It was made from a stray huckleberry bush that had all the berries plucked from it and was then reinforced with thickets and brambles, and two stones to hold the entrance open. Sticking out from right beside the medicine cat den, hidden in the camp walls, was the old prisoner den, left there to remind PondClan of what they once where. It was made of sharp thickets and dried reeds, old and unused. The elder's den, made out of an old chokeberry bush, was more in the middle of camp, the entrance to it facing the river at the back of camp. The warrior's den was a few tail-lengths away from the old prisoner's den, and it was a simple thicket and reed den. Beside it was both the dirt-place entrance and the prey pile. Beside the prey pile, which was a bed of dried reeds and moss with prey on it, was the stones some cats liked to either train on or rest on. Beside those stones was the Big Stone, which Puddlepaw honestly thought was the silliest name, that the clan leader, namely Lizardstar, called clan meetings from. The Big Stone was in front of the river that had the leader's den on the other side, which was secured with pieces of many bushes and brambles and reeds. Back on the camp side of the river, and beginning to complete the circle and head back to the entrance, was the apprentice's den, right beside the river so you could hear it's soothing sounds as you slept. The apprentice's den was made of a dogwood bush with thicket bits with a bit of a dug-out bottom to it. Next to the apprentice's den was the nursery, which was under two stone slabs being pressed together at an angle, and with brambles and ferns covering it for more protection. The whole camp was littered with reeds and weeds and tufts of grass, but for the most part, had been worn dry by the seasons of paws, now being more of a dead yellow color.

Puddlepaw's blue eyes snapped to where Greenleap, a slender dark gray tabby tom, and Heatherbird, a pale brown tabby she-cat, were sharing prey together and nuzzling each other. Puddlepaw hoped they would become mates soon, or at least that Heatherbird would have kits. Willowchill, her sister, was already in the nursery expecting her mate, Ivyblaze's kits, but they weren't due for two moons. Add another six moons onto that, and Puddlepaw would most definitely be done with his training, since he was 10 moons old. Training lasted 12-16 moons for the typical apprentice. He thought he was very typical. Anyway, Heatherbird having kits too would definitely help out the clan. Puddlepaw couldn't help but notice that the number of toms far out-wayed the she-cats.

It was still hard for Puddlepaw to believe he ended up doing his whole apprenticeship alone. Ficklekit and Conekit had died, and so had the two orphan kits the clan had gotten from a passing rogue, who couldn't take care of all four of her kits so she had given up two and had been on her way.

Puddlepaw stretched out his front legs, before stopping as Heronburr, PondClan medicine cat and a long-haired dark gray tom with a lighter face and underbelly, hopped the river from the leader's den, holding two small leaves in his mouth. His face was furrowed in thought. Puddlepaw watched him from where he had paused at the stones. Puddlepaw watched the tom shake out his coat with pricked ears, curious and intrigued. Heronburr padded over to his den, having to go around the elder's den and Podberry, the old pale brown she-cat with a missing tail. Puddlepaw glanced at the leader's den, wondering if Lizardstar was okay or not. Heronburr returned from the den in a moments notice, new herbs in his mouth. Coltsfolt, feverfew, and hawthorne berries. Puddlepaw knew that coltsfolt was for a shortness of breath, Heronburr had to give him some after Puddlepaw had stressed himself out during training. Feverfew Puddlepaw could guess was for fevers, if the name implied anything. Hawthorne berries, Puddlepaw wasn't sure. Heronburr had asked him to go get some near the beginning of his apprenticeship which is the only reason Puddlepaw knew what they were.

Heronburr spotted Puddlepaw as he approached the water. With a glimmer in his eyes, he dropped the bundle of feverfew in front of the fluffy-chested apprentice. Puddlepaw gave a start.

"Can you take these across?" Heronburr asked politely. "I'm gonna go back for a little bit of lavender. It tastes a bit sweeter, so she may be more likely to eat the herbs, the stubborn she-cat."

Puddlepaw numbly nodded, scrambling to get the herbs and leaped into the water, making sure to carefully hold the feverfew above the light swaying currents. He slipped onto land with ease, being a PondClan cat. Puddlepaw wondered if he should leave the herbs there or take them inside the den, or whether he should wait or not. He didn't know much about what to do with herbs, just what they did, so he wouldn't be very useful. Heronburr appeared a split second later, with lavender in his mouth, and swam elegantly across the river, thanking Puddlepaw quietly and taking all four herb bundles into the den. Puddlepaw heard a raspy cough, an intake of sharp breath and a wet sniffle.

Puddlepaw decided he wouldn't be of use again and swam back across the river. Mallowtooth, his father, dipped his head towards Puddlepaw as he walked over to the light brown tom.

"Can you go on a border patrol with Ivyblaze and Perchmist down by FallenClan," Mallowtooth said, but even though it was phrased as a question, Puddlepaw knew it was a command.

"Uh, s-sure," Puddlepaw replied, talking for the first time he knew today. He had been on a short hunting patrol with Perchmist and Greenleap, but it had disbanded quickly as Greenleap had caught a fish he had trouble carrying, since it was so slippery and a little bigger than his mouth. But he still hadn't talked then. Other than that, he had been worrying around camp, occasionally checking the walls for holes or loose patches.

Puddlepaw dipped his head in respect at his deputy father before walking off to where Ivyblaze, a white tom with a long gray-tipped tail and bright blue eyes, and Perchmist, a dark silver tabby tom with pale yellow eyes, sat near the nursery, chatting with Willowchill.

Puddlepaw waited for Ivyblaze and Willowchill to finish nuzzling each other before the border patrol set off. They turned around to trail the out-skirts of camp, since FallenClan's border was way down at the bottom of there territory, off on a little hinge. They would pass Tiger's Cliff, a symbol of Tigerleaf and whatever evil, ambitious thing she did. But they probably wouldn't touch it. It was on the other side of the river that passed through camp and cut down threw PondClan territory, turning around near FallenClan's border and diving into the cliffs that were far away from PondClan's border.

Puddlepaw, to his surprise, took the lead, Ivyblaze and Perchmist chatting quietly behind him about how the prey was running. Puddlepaw navigated easily through the lush, stream-filled forest, stepping lightly over patches of herbs and dancing threw the reed beds. Puddlepaw took in the calming scents of the forest. It smelled like tropical fruits and rolling water, sweet berries and wet fur, piquant reeds and crushed insects. Most importantly, it smelled like his clanmates. Puddlepaw could faintly smell the scents of Vixenspot and Sedgeheart, who must have been on the border patrol down by FallenClan yesterday. He could smell Mockingjaypelt, the other elder of the clan, who must have just been following the river for a nice stroll to stretch his muscles. He could even smell his own scent and his mentor's from when they had been hunting down here yesterday.

Puddlepaw drifted about, slowly making it to the FallenClan border without much worry. Perchmist began to mark the closest trees. Puddlepaw sniffed the air, taking in the heavy, dusty scent of FallenClan, a bit of anxiety pricking his pelt. FallenClan's side had not been marked recently. He hoped they wouldn't run into a FallenClan patrol. Although, FallenClan was ever illusive, never appearing. Puddlepaw couldn't recall seeing any FallenClan patrols ever in his life. Not even a FallenClan cat, except at gatherings, though he supposed that was because they were underground. He had been to every gathering he could since his apprenticeship, even when he had injured his leg by scraping it on a rock while swimming. PondClan was few in numbers, and they were eager to hide that fact. Even MoonClan, of which Puddlepaw didn't know if he liked the clan or not, had more members, and territory, then them. While PondClan wasn't going to go ambitiously start fights, they didn't want to seem like easy targets. The other clans left them alone, for the most part. They were the "peaceful" clan, after all.

Ivyblaze roamed a little further down the FallenClan border to begin marking it, tail tip twitching. Puddlepaw decided to leave some scent on some of the trees and bushes they, PondClan, often didn't get. They had to make sure their borders were well-marked and strong, after all, so the other clans wouldn't get worried or suspicious. He just hoped the extra marking wouldn't make FallenClan feel threatened or skeptical.

Puddlepaw patrolled along the border, scenting the air for any weakness in FallenClan's scent markings. See, marking borders wasn't as simple as some may make it out to be. You had to be precise, get the places off more importance. If there was a faintness in scents in one area, he'd make sure to mark it so the other clan wouldn't mistakenly take more than was theirs. He filled in the gaps with less enthusiasm than when he did for the more important areas, but he made sure his scent was still fragrant.

Puddlepaw strode behind his silver striped mentor as he sauntered further along the border. Ivyblaze circled back to them, just to make sure nothing had happened to them, before continuing ahead of them.

A cracking sound made Puddlepaw leap into the air in fright. A voice began cackling, both having an air of smugness and arrogance but at the same time, a sense of childishness and immaturity. Puddlepaw flattened his fur as he glared at a fuzzy, short-legged gray tom with laughing light green eyes.

"Pfft, scared of a little twig snapping?" The tom sneered impolitely. Puddlepaw folded his ears, still glaring, but a more out of self-consciousness than hostility. Perchmist gave the tom a glare as well, a light groan echoing from his mouth. Ivyblaze retreated from where he strode ahead, appearing beside his clanmates with a frowning face.

Two other cats, a scrawny gray tom with yellow eyes who's appearance was similar to the chuckling apprentice's and a very dark gray she-cat with dark amber eyes, trod forward, the tom with more air to his step and the she-cat with a scowl, but not at the PondClan cats, at the fuzzy apprentice. She dipped her head respectively to the PondClan patrol.

Perchmist gave her a bow of his head too. "Shadepad, Newtfur," Perchmist rumbled kindly. He glanced at the apprentice. "Fuzzypaw," he said with less keenness.

Puddlepaw felt a bit stunned. FallenClan cats. In front of him, and not at a gathering? He never would have thought it would happen. Although, he was pretty sure he never would have seen the FallenClan patrol had Fuzzypaw not stepped on the twig.

"Perchmist," Shadepad greeted the same, with kind avidity shimmering in her eyes. She nodded to Ivyblaze and Puddlepaw, greeting them as well. Puddlepaw had seen Shadepad once or twice at gatherings. She was a well-respected FallenClan cat amongst other clans, even though her temper could flare sometimes. Newtfur, on the other paw, didn't have the most spotless reputation, and was more known for his snobbishness and hotheadedness which border that of a RushingClan cat.

"How is prey, or I suppose fish, running in PondClan?" Shadepad asked good-naturedly. Fuzzypaw gave her a small glare, as if questioning why they should talk to the PondClan cats with such politeness.

Perchmist gave a rumbly, warm purr. "All is well. I suppose the same is for FallenClan? No tunnel collapses?"

"Of course," Shadepad replied, raising her head highly. "One tunnel collapse down near SpruceClan's borders, reported by Morningpelt, no injuries, of course. Wasn't a very useful tunnel anyway."

Perchmist gave her an ear flick of acknowledgement. Ivyblaze stepped forward. "How is Lightningshine?" Ivyblaze asked. Puddlepaw had seen them hanging out together at gatherings, so he assumed they were friends.

"He is fine," Shadepad responded. "Poppyjump is expecting his kits in two moons."

Ivyblaze purred. "Tell him my congratulations."

Shadepad dipped her head. "Will do." And with that the PondClan patrol parted down the border, continuing to mark them. When the FallenClan cats thought the PondClan patrol had gotten out of hearing range, Shadepad had hissed to Newtfur.

"Teach your apprentice to be careful where he steps," Shadepad reprimanded. "Next time I don't want to have to deal with his snarkiness with another clan's patrol."

"I can do whatever I want!" Fuzzypaw squeaked out like an indignant kit. "Wasn't my fault that apprentice was so wimpy."

"Fuzzypaw," Newtfur warned, though it was half-hearted.

Puddlepaw was out of range to hear the rest of the conversation, but he still felt pity for Shadepad. Fuzzypaw was such a rude apprentice. Puddlepaw wondered if Ficklekit or Conekit would have been like that. Conekit was too smart to be so ill-mannered, but Ficklekit might have had a sharp-tongue.

Puddlepaw walked behind Perchmist and Ivyblaze, who were silent for the moment and they approached SullenClan border. Puddlepaw wondered if they were going to patrol their whole west border, which was 1/4 FallenClan and 3/4 SullenClan. PondClan's territory was small enough that you could probably patrol the whole thing five times in a day, only stopping for prey once. Other clan's would only make it three times around, maybe four, with two to multiple breaks. If you ran and didn't stop you'd probably make it double at an even pace.

The lake-blue eyed tom tripped over a reed momentarily, Ivyblaze giving a sharp laugh. The apprentice scrambled up to his paws, smoothing his fur down.

Puddlepaw took in the scent of the SullenClan as they touched the tip of SullenClan's border. The scent was fresh, a patrol must have just passed by. Puddlepaw could smell Shiningscar, whom he had met at his first gathering, an unfamiliar cat with a heather-y smell, Nettlepool who he had met on a SullenClan border patrol last moon and Wetcloud. Puddlepaw also scented a thrush and looked up at SullenClan's tall trees, spotting the white bird ruffling its feathers contentedly on a skinny branch. Puddlepaw longed to rake his claws over the bird and take it back to his clanmates, but for one, it was on SullenClan's side and, for two, he didn't know how to hunt birds. Fish and voles were the most abundant in PondClan's territory.

Puddlepaw wondered what it was like in SullenClan. In PondClan, Puddlepaw knew that threats from the other clans was possible, but they were so small already, the other clans dared not challenge their extinction. SullenClan, on the other paw, had plenty of territory to spare. RushingClan was already hungrily trying to take back- or steal? Puddlepaw wasn't sure who had it first- the Tall Rocks, and Puddlepaw wasn't sure if FallenClan would cause any problems since they lived mostly in their tunnels but they could easily team up with RushingClan. MoonClan could also slip in through where SullenClan's border's opened up and barely skimmed the cliffs, though Puddlepaw doubted they would attack SullenClan as the "protectors" and "guardians" of the clans. Even Puddlepaw had to roll his eyes at that.

MoonClan was... well, MoonClan. His clan found them ambitious, since they were going around and messing everything up and going off and starting their own thing while also stirring up trouble. Puddlepaw didn't know MoonClan well enough to give a solid opinion, but he tended to stay away from them. His clan had to be correct about something, right? But so far MoonClan had been okay, in his life time.

Puddlepaw began marking the SullenClan border with his mentor and Ivyblaze, thinking about how the other clans may function. SpruceClan, so high and mighty, surely they must have a reason for their controlling and nosy nature. They had the best defense after all, with their walls that Puddlepaw would probably never see. BrokenClan, reliant on SpruceClan for most everything it seemed, but yet they remained unbeaten in battles and easily stole prey, which indicated they were prey-scarce and starved. RushingClan, aggressive and tempered, quick to rush into danger as fast as they could dash, must have had a fowl history to be so sharp and easily-offended. FallenClan, hidden yet there, diggers and tunnelers every one, but would every cat like to be underground like the moles and worms? SullenClan, considered wise and mysterious, must have a reason for being thought of as so, but did it only come from the Rabbit Kick, for what other secrets did they have held in waiting? MoonClan, the youngest clan, but perhaps the most welcoming and diverse, taking in everything and everyone they could get their paws on, so how could they keep everything organized and every cat satisfied? And then there was PondClan. The so-called peaceful ones.

Puddlepaw wondered what other clans thought of PondClan.

* * *

 **hmm mm hm a little more of a filler chapter, Puddlepaw doesn't have much spice in his life except for "oh noes i am so worried what if i dont pass? i am all alone and scured". His stuff doesn't start picking up until the other clans and cats start causing conflict and it flies back into his face, the poor guy ;(. What does warriorship have to offer him, I wonder?**

 **What's your thoughts on the story so far? Which clan is reigning as your favorite as of now? Which cat? Which main apprentice? Opinion of the more quiet Puddlepaw this time around? What's going on with Lizardstar, hmmm?**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	14. Chap12: A Prickly Cough

**Fun Fact; Fidgetpaw has a stutter not because he's nervous but because the impact from falling from the hawk's talons shattered his vocal cords pretty strong**

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 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 12**

Morningpaw groaned as he finished renewing Pouncefur's wrap on his leg. The large pale gray tom stared at Morningpaw with blurry, half-lidded eyes. Morningpaw mumbled something inaudible before speaking more clearly.

"It's healing quickly," Morningpaw informed the wounded tom. "I'd say it'll be fine in a moon or so. Two if you strain it." Morningpaw turned to the feverfew laced with mouse blood beside him, which was to help with Pouncefur's heating body temperature, and sneaked two small poppy seeds into the bundle. He pushed it to Pouncefur, who ate it without complaint.

Morningpaw stretched out a glossy-furred solid black paw. Morningpaw swiftly grabbed the mouse he had used for the feverfew, taking himself and it outside and dropping it off at the fresh-kill. He sauntered quietly over to his pale off-brown tabby mentor, who had yellow eyes.

"Is there anything for me to do, Weedshine?" He asked politely. She glanced at him.

"No, you can take a day off, unless another cat gets injured," Weedshine told the black-pelted tom. His muscles relaxed in relief. A day off from running around, helping cats and checking on them, collecting herbs in obscure places.

First, Morningpaw looked for his trusted denmate, Pearpaw. He couldn't spot her familiar tortoiseshell pelt, so he assumed she was off on a patrol or out training. He searched for his close friends, Seedstorm, and his sister, Cherrysnow. He spotted the long-legged brown tabby tom with his mostly white tortoiseshell sister, sharing a silky-feathered raven. Morningpaw approached them and was welcomed cheerily.

"Hey, Morningpaw!" Seedstorm acclaimed loudly and happily, giving a warm purr afterwards. Cherrysnow's blind pale blue eyes gazed at Morningpaw, and once she figured out who it was, she gave a kind smile.

"How's being a medicine cat going?" Seedstorm chirped wonderfully. Cherrysnow pricked her ears with interest, nipping at the feathers of the black raven, feathers as dark as Morningpaw's pelt.

"Oh, it's been fine," Morningpaw stammered. "Hard on the paws, but fine. Wouldn't trade it for the world."

Seedstorm puffed out his chest. "Could say the same for warriorship." He tilted his head. "How's Pouncefur, he doing alright?"

Morningpaw flicked his ear. "Pouncefur's doing well. He'll be back on warrior duties in a moon or two."

Cherrysnow turned to blindly look at a young squirrel crawling up a pale spruce tree just behind the MoonClan camp walls. "How did he get his injuries, again?"

"Fell from a tree," Morningpaw replied.

"What kind of tree?" Cherrysnow inquired, tilting her head with attentiveness.

Morningpaw paused. They had picked Pouncefur up near the one tree with the two branches that twisted together, hadn't they? "A thin tree, pale in color, two branches, long and thin, intertwined together like a spiral." Morningpaw did his best to describe the tree, but it was hard when he barely knew it himself. But Cherrysnow accepted the description with a nod, looking thoughtful.

"Seedstorm, Cherrysnow," a voice called out, and a dark gray tom marched over to them, meaning in his stride and his head held high. His dark blue eyes blazed, not in a rude way, but in passion and pride. The young tom loved what he did, after all.

"Yeah, Sparrowfoot?" Seedstorm asked politely and innocently, leaning his head a bit.

"You're on a border patrol down near Mooncave, remember?" Sparrowfoot enlightened him, a humorous glare in his eye. Sparrowfoot was a former RushingClan warrior, who had joined with the reason of his clan being too restricting. He had been a lively asset to MoonClan. He was passionate, heartfelt, prideful and spirited, ready to help and ready to experience new ways. He was accepting, yet held a strictful air to him, carried over from his RushingClan ways. While Morningpaw wasn't great friends with the tom, he thought of the tom like a second mentor, or a father figure, even though he didn't hang out with Sparrowfoot much. He was just a cool cat, overall.

"Really?" Seedstorm blinked. "Oh, mouse-tails, I forgot. Sorry, Sparrowfoot." He began to collect himself, scrambling up onto his long legs, nudging his sister to her paws. The blind she-cat calmly got onto her white paws, unconcerned. Morningpaw wished he could be like that. How did the she-cat, blind, live such a care-free life? Morningpaw wondered for a brief moment how the she-cat was like as a kit and apprentice.

Seedstorm, Cherrysnow and Sparrowfoot all gathered, preparing to leave. Morningpaw felt a pang in his chest. Every time he tried to talk to a cat, they were whisked off for another warrior duty. It seemed like no cat had time to sit and rest their paws, chatting and gossiping and laughing with their fellows and clanmates.

"Wait," he called quickly, stopping the cats in their tracks. Seedstorm blinked at him in puzzlement. Morningpaw shuffled his paws. "Can I go on patrol with you?"

The cats traded looks.

"But you have medicine cat duties to attend to," Sparrowfoot reminded him softly. Morningpaw dipped his head, paw raising slightly.

"Actually, Weedshine's letting me have a day off," Morningpaw told the young warrior. Sparrowfoot tilted his head.

"Really? Huh, that's odd of her," Sparrowfoot murmured. "Though I suppose today is a slow day." Sparrowfoot shook out his pelt. "She's different from when she was a warrior in RushingClan."

"So can I?" Morningpaw begged, bright-eyed.

"I suppose so," Sparrowfoot shrugged. "If you don't have anything else to do."

Morningpaw felt excitement prick at his paws. He had never been on a patrol before! It wasn't something medicine cats did practically ever. Sparrowfoot began to take off, out of the hollow log they called the camp entrance. Seedstorm gave Morningpaw a friendly nudge, before leading his bling sister out of camp. Morningpaw ducked his head as he thumped through the log, paws scrapping against the rough wood. The moss that had been there the previous day had been kicked out accidentally and scattered by previous patrols of the day.

The dark gray tom lead the patrol threw the sickly sweet forest. Morningpaw watched Cherrysnow glide with ease around each weed and root, fur barely tugging of bushes. He found it amazing how the blind she-cat could wade between the undergrowth like a PondClan cat threw water. He was constantly catching on roots and his tail would snag on the brambles and ferns. He supposed it was because the she-cat was more concentrated on not running into anything while he was less focused, due to believing in his eyesight more than he should. Anything too far away became a blur to the apprentice. Not by much, but it was hard to identify herbs and plants from a distance, but he made by.

Morningpaw felt elation as the patrol steadily approached the border down by the empty forest they didn't claim as their own, even though they could. Poking out at the top of the unclaimed forest was Mooncave, dark and looming. Inside the large, awning deep gray cave's darkness, somewhere, was Starstone, the mystical connection to StarClan. Morningpaw didn't understand how or why it connected them to StarClan, but it did. It was a shiny silver rock, rooted to the dusty ground of the cold cave, and it sucked the warmth from you. It leaned to one side, poking the roof of the cave. The rock itself had no chippings or cracks, but the similar rocks around it had broken apart many times. only proving the Starstone's strength. Maybe that was why StarClan had chosen it as their connection to the clans. It showed that even as everything around them changed, broke, and wore away, the clans as a whole would always stay together, strong and united. It reflected the history of the clans well, too. While Morningpaw himself was not an enthusiastic of clan history, he knew that some clans used to be together, before splitting, or the other way around. SweetClan was an example of a clan that had disappeared completely, though some could argue that MoonClan was their replacement. Who knows what other clans had vanished, or will vanish.

Right now, Mooncave was blurry, fuzzy to the apprentice. But he didn't much mind. Now was not the time to oogle at it. He could save that for half-moon with the other medicine cats. Currently, he was on a _warrior_ patrol, marking the borders to ensure any rogues didn't think they could walk all over them. Though, if a rogue happened to ask to join, Morningpaw was sure Sweetstar, MoonClan's leader and a former SpruceClan cat, would let them in without protest. After all, MoonClan was the clan where all were accepted.

Morningpaw trekked along the border, following Seedstorm and Sparrowfoot's lead. Cherrysnow wandered off a bit, scenting the air as if to keep a look-out for any intruders. She had one of the best noses and ears in the clans, to make up for her blindness.

"A kittypet has been sniffing our borders," Cherrysnow informed them in a quiet, solemn voice. Sparrowfoot looked at her for more information, before remembering she was blind and kindly asking aloud for more information. Cherrysnow dipped her head as she continued. "It's faint, maybe a day or two ago. It smells like it got scared off. I don't think it has any intentions of returning. Can't tell gender or age."

"Alright, we'll keep a lookout, just in case it's a threat or wants to join us," Sparrowfoot mewed. Seedstorm rubbed his sister's shoulder in silent support, a low purr rumbling deep in his throat, barely audible. Thrill and intrigue pricked at Morningpaw. Was this what it was like to be a warrior? Instead of sniffing out plants, you'd sniff out possible members and threats? He supposed he had always been told that's what they did, but he thought a patrol would be much more slower and had less talking. Perhaps it did, and he was just on a special patrol.

The border patrol continued on, marking trees and bushes and the occasional rock as they went. Morningpaw got a bit skittish, wondering if he was marking the border right. He thought it would be simpler, but the prickle of doubt told him that marking a border was much more. He was too nervous to ask for help or advice for something as simple as marking a border, so he just studied the three warriors.

The cats came to the cliffs in no time, swiftly doing their job. They didn't get even get close to the edge, not even halfway. The border they marked only viewed the cliffs by a sliver, they were marking what was more on the grassy tilting land, which stretched all the way down to SullenClan and PondClan territory. The patrol had gone with ease so far. Morningpaw was getting more confident.

"Hey!" A voice suddenly snapped, sounding more desperate than anything. Morningpaw leaped into the air, and he saw Cherrysnow flinch in fear. Seedstorm and Sparrowfoot jerked around, turning to face the rushing prickly-furred, dark blue-ish gray tom running at their border. Morningpaw shied behind Cherrysnow, while Sparrowfoot's pelt began to fluff up. The tom tom stopped at the MoonClan's border, barely skimming it and almost crossing it. It seemed he had respect for the clan borders, at least.

"You're those MoonClan cats, right?" The prickly-furred tom asked, hope, hostility, and hesitance swarming in his dark blue eyes, a certain twinkle making them shine in the daylight. His claws rubbed the ground in unease, and he radiated distress.

Sparrowfoot and Seedstorm traded looks.

Sparrowfoot stepped forward as patrol leader. "Yes, we are. What is it?" Sparrowfoot questioned, his stance showing he was powerful in case the tom was dangerous though his question was a bit weak, as if unsure how to respond. Seedstorm wagged a ringed tail, backing up Sparrowfoot while also guarding Cherrysnow. Cherrysnow listened on in interest and concetration while Morningpaw hid behind her, a bit frightened by the newcomer. The spikey-furred tom had powerful shoulders, pointy claws and wide ears, but he was skinny and underfed and had awkward, thin legs.

Another cat, a light brown thin-striped she-cat with a plump, creamy belly, a pale pink kittypet collar and amber eyes, slipped from the undergrowth to stand beside the tom. The tom gave a nervous jerk, uncertainy swimming in his blue depths.

"I'm Prickle, and this," the tom pointed his tail at the she-cat beside him, "is my mate, Caramel. We- well," Prickle paused, looking for words. His eyes scanned the air blankly. "Do you, you are clancats, so do you have anything of a healer?"

"You mean a medicine cat?" Sparrowfoot inquired, ears pricking.

"Yes!" Prickle exclaimed eagerly, before ducking his head embarrassed and giving his chest fur a quick lick. "Yes, one of those. Our daughter's been really ill, and we can't find what's wrong with her. We're too scared to move her much, so we can't go visit a vet down at the city like Caramel wants to."

Morningpaw was aware of what the odd words meant, due to the variety of cats in MoonClan, but they still felt weird to hear.

"Oh?" Sparrowfoot contemplated. He glanced at Seedstorm. "We're willing to help."

Caramel and Prickle's eyes lit up. "Really?" Prickle exclaimed excitedly. "Do you have one of your medicine cats on site?"

Sparrowfoot pointed a tail at Morningpaw's black form peaking out from behind Cherrysnow's white and tortoiseshell body. "This is Morningpaw, our medicine cat apprentice."

Prickle's ears raised, and Morningpaw bundled together as the tom's dark blue eyes hungrily stared him down. "Just an apprentice?"

Seedstorm raised his head up in defense for his friend. "Doesn't mean he's any less than a good medicine cat," Seedstorm said. Cherrysnow layed her tail comfortingly on Morningpaw's tense shoulders.

Prickle and Caramel gave each other happy, but worried, looks. Relief shook their tails.

"Alright then, right this way," Prickle turned around so swiftly it look like his head might snap off. He began to pace back to the forest, his mate following him. Sparrowfoot and Seedstorm stepped over the border and followed them without so much as a complaint, but Morningpaw hesitated. He knew there was a sick cat out there, but he'd never left the border for anything other than half-moon meetings and gatherings. It felt strange to leave MoonClan's territory during a patrol of all things.

Cherrysnow nudged him gently, blind eyes staring absently at him. Morningpaw slinked across the border, feeling the scents of his MoonClan clanmates leaving him. The forest across from MoonClan's own sweet-scenting, pale, flowery forest was quit simple and plain, with thick, sturdy oaks, and bright leaves. Ferns scattered the place, more obscure than SpruceClan's overgrown forest. The grass underpaw became vibrant compared to the dried grass of the former SweetClan land. A small puddle of clear, bright blue glazing water waved in the corner of Morningpaw's vision, different from the dark water that relaxed in MoonClan's territory.

The two cats leading the MoonClanners were very different in stature. One was tall and lanky, fur spiking out everywhere, while the other was short-legged and round, fur slicked. Morningpaw found it funny the two cats were mates with such differences. It also showed in their personalities. Prickle was much more dominant, taking the speaking role and the leader role of the two, while Caramel was silent.

The patrol of cats made it too a clearing, and a small blue-ish gray she-cat who was quite the copy of her father layed, hacking and coughing. Her body shook roughly with each cough, sides heaving. Her black nose was wet with snot, and her back legs trembled. A dribble of saliva trickled from her open mouth. Her fangs shined. Morningpaw estimated she was about 6-7 moons old. The clearing reeked of the stench of unfamiliar sickness. It smelled so, so horrible. Like a rotting fish that had been forced down the throat of a slimy snake, only to be spat back out. Morningpaw had never smelt something like it.

Morningpaw rushed over to help the she-cat, instincts kicking over. He checked her for any infected wounds that might have caused the terrible coughing fever. Finding nothing, he brushed a paw over her ears. She was heating up rapidly. One of his paws drifted to her shoulder, and he pushed down on it. Tensed shoulders. Her front legs were also stiff, so she'd probably have aching joints after her fever and cough settled down. He'd need comfrey root or daisy leaves for that. For now, he'd need tansy, feverfew, chamomile and some chervil roots just in case she was having bellyaches, which he couldn't determine without her conscious and responding. Morningpaw checked over the she-cat again, just to make sure.

"Seedstorm, can you find some feverfew and tansy?" Morningpaw asked in a serious tone. He knew those two were common herbs that most cats knew. Morningpaw didn't see if the tom nodded or responded though, as he was focused on the she-cat beneath his paws. He could tell by the light thumping of paws that the long-legged tom had taken off to find what the medicine cat apprentice had asked. "Prickle, Cherrysnow," Morningpaw barked. "Can you fetch chamomile? It's small, grows in groups, white flowers, thin stems, a dark green, yellow bulb, very soft on the flowers but smooth and sticky on the stem, smells sweet, and almost like a mouse, except it has more of a milkweed's smell." The two left without words, though Morningpaw could hear Prickle give a strangled sound, as if not wanting to leave his daughter. Morningpaw turned to Sparrowfoot and Caramel, who both stood attentively. "Sparrowfoot, come with me to find chervil and comfrey roots. Caramel, watch over her, find me if anything concerning happens."

Morningpaw and Sparrowfoot took off, searching the unfamiliar forest for the sign of comfrey or chervil, so they could rip the roots out of the ground. They found the long green-leaved plant of comfrey hidden under a beech tree. They couldn't find any chervil anywhere, but Morningpaw supposed that was fine, as the herb wasn't needed immediately. The two toms hastily returned to the clearing, where Seedstorm had returned with feverfew and tansy at his paws. Prickle slipped into the clearing at that exact moment, but only a small, dangling feeble piece of the white-flowered chamomile hung from his mouth. He put the pitiful plant on the pile of Seedstorm's feverfew and tansy. Morningpaw dropped his own comfrey on the ground, cutting the roots off of it as quickly and gingerly as possible. He pushed them off to the side, and began carefully squishing the other herbs together. Once he was satisfied, he wrapped them in a stray thin ivy leaf. Cherrysnow padded into the clearing just then, laying a bunch of chamomile at Morningpaw's side.

He looked at the unconscious blue-ish gray she-cat. He tried to prod her awake, but she numbly curled in on her self, groaning. Caramel seemed to take the hint and nudged her daughter with her own pink nose.

"Gemstone, my dearest, wake up," Caramel said, voice barely above a soft whisper. Gemstone began to stir, blearily looking at Morningpaw. Her glazed eyes couldn't seem to recognize him.

"Take these herbs," Morningpaw murmured, pushing the bundle in front of her. She sniffed up some of her snot, leaning down to stare at the herbs as peculiarly as she could. She mumbled something, but Morningpaw didn't catch it.

"Please take it, Gemstone," Prickle persuaded, shuffling over to his daughter and putting his head on her backside. "They'll help you."

A rumbling cough erupted from Gemstone's and she stayed still for a moment, shoulders scrunching up in a way that Morningpaw knew had to be uncomfortable. She slowly lapped up the herbs, face wrinkling at the taste, but she ate them regardless. She didn't really seem aware of her surroundings right now. She almost coughed the herbs back out, but she swallowed them, a little spit coming out of her mouth, green specks in it. She slumped over, coughing all the way. Her breath hitched at one point, and then she spat out a chunk of herbs, but nothing important from what Morningpaw could see. She soon slipped off into unconsciousness.

Morningpaw looked at Prickle and Caramel, who fussed over their daughter for a moment. "We should take her back to MoonClan's camp. I've never seen a sickness like hers before. I don't think its fatal, but I'd rather not have it go untreated. My mentor, Weedshine, can take care of her better."

Prickle and Caramel traded looks of concern, before Caramel's shoulders relaxed.

"I think we should," she mumbled. And with that, it was decided. Sparrowfoot and Prickle put Gemstone on their backs as gently as possible, and Seedstorm led the group back. Cherrysnow carried the extra comfrey and chamomile. Morningpaw kept a close check on Gemstone as they returned to camp. Of course, the cats had been curious, but at the sight of the sick cat, they let the newcomers in without hesitance. Brambleflight and Hollyjaw particularly gave the cats a hard time, but even they loosened up, Brambleflight wanting to show respect for Sparrowfoot and Morningpaw and Hollyjaw stopped hesitating because she didn't really care that much.

Weedshine appeared from her den near the Leader's Cliff. She gave Gemstone a quick sniff before escorting her into the medicine cat den, which was next to the elder's den. Seedstorm and Prickle layed her down. Seedstorm removed himself from the den and so did Prickle with some reluctance. Sweetstar had come out from her den and began talking with Prickle and Caramel, informing them that they could stay in the guest's den while their daughter healed. Morningpaw looked at Weedshine as she calmly mixed a few herbs in the corner of the den. More tansy and chamomile, he believed.

"Have you ever seen a sickness like it?" Morningpaw asked quietly.

Weedshine blinked. "Yes," she murmured out, clicking her tongue. "Once in RushingClan. Took two lives because we weren't in the best conditions. I doubt it will take any lives though, this is only a small bout. We called it ratcough, because we got the fever from the rats living down by the cliffs."

"Oh," Morningpaw whispered out, absorbing the information. There was still so much he yet to learn.

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 **Tt how was this chapter? And yes, Morningpaw is near-sighted (can only see things close up). He got it from his dad, just like me :) Also, Prickle is more inbreed than the average cat while Caramel has one of the cleanest gene pools. Curious about the newcomers? Do you like or dislike Morningpaw? Liking this story so far?**

 **Bonus Fact; There is no cat with the suffix "-claw" in the clans. Mouseclaw, the deceased father of Antkit, Cherrykit and Buzzardkit, is the only one, but I do have another cats planned to have the suffix.**

 **Extra Fact/Observation: There's a lot of Rose's in the clans woops (you only know of two rn, but uh, another one exists)**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	15. Chap13: How It Goes is Fear and Fury

**Note : Poppyjump's pregnancy is listed as three moons, but whereas Jaymoon had a reason, Poppyjump's was simply a mistake on my part woops, i sincerely thought she was listed as two moons heh srry**

 **Fun Fact; I originally thought each book in the Way of the Apprentices series would be 20 chapters long, but judging by how I haven't even gotten to any of the main conflicts (or even set some of them up), it's probably gonna be 40 chapters. Tansypaw is kind of my "kick things into action" mary sure character, while most of the others are just focusing on their own personal problems (like Puddlepaw and Fidgetpaw) while others have a bit of both (Sorrelpaw, Lightpaw and Volepaw), and others... are just... unexplained (Morningpaw and ?paw)**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 13**

Volepaw was currently on the scent of a BrokenClan cat. A BrokenClan cat who had jumped borders and stolen prey in FallenClan's territory. Whichever BrokenClan cat it was, they had covered their scent well, so well, Volepaw couldn't pick up what they covered themselves in. Some kind of wild garlic, maybe? Yet it smelled like lavender. Nevertheless, Volepaw had tracked the BrokenClan scent, only because it was fresh, back to their own border. He glared out at the barren lands, hoping to spot some sign of a cat, but he found nothing. Hesitantly, he turned around, deciding to head back to his catches from his individual hunting. He would have gone with Lightningshine, but his mentor had ditched him for Poppyjump. Which was fine, Volepaw was used to it, and preferred the silence and solitary by now.

The short-haired gray tom swooped up his muddy thrush and his two small mice, own brown and one grey. He padded through the bright, plain forest. It was nothing spectacular to him, nothing like the tunnels below his paws.

He trotted simply over to the nearest tunnel, a hidden one beneath the brambles. He slipped in with ease, prey dangling from his mouth. He rubbed up against the walls, which turned from dusty to smooth as he came to rock and not dirt, which meant this tunnel was one of the original ones. Volepaw traced along, mind absentmindedly leading him back to the camp that was deep in the tunnels.

He ambled into camp without as much as a squeak, dropping his kills in the prey pile. His yellow gaze sought out the pale brown thin-striped form of FallenClan's deputy. He spotted the tom curled up, shivering, not from coldness, next to his ginger sister, eyes flicking around. Volepaw knew he was watching out for Briarstar. Brindlefoot wouldn't want to be seen with her oh-so hated sister. Poolfoot, a sleek blue-gray tom with a white tipped tail and blue eyes, slithered over to Brindlefoot and Sparkfern, giving the she-cat a warm murmur and Brindlefoot a calm blink. Poolfoot and Brindlefoot where really the only two that hung out with Sparkfern, every other cat was too afraid of what Briarstar would think. She was rarely on a patrol with other cats anymore.

Volepaw wandered over to Brindlefoot, and the deputy snapped out of his nervousness to take on a commanding air, sitting up straight. His dark green eyes hardened as he waited for the apprentice to speak.

Volepaw dipped his head with respect to the deputy. "I caught BrokenClan scent while I was hunting. Fresh."

Brindlefoot and Sparkfern traded looks, and Poolfoot's fur spiked out. "Again?" Brindlefoot spat out.

"They need to learn to respect our boundaries," Sparkfern growled, but her voice was low and worn, as if she never spoke. Poolfoot flushed his fur beside her in agreement.

"We need to do something about them," Sparkfern continued.

Brindlefoot flicked his ear. "Nothing we can do. SpruceClan would beat us up if we so much as touched them."

Sparkfern gave a soft hiss, irritated. Volepaw shared her irritation. FallenClan would have long ago fought back against BrokenClan if SpruceClan wasn't always hovering over them like a mother does her kits.

"Dirt-brained SpruceClanners," Sparkfern mumbled.

"Maybe we could do something small," Poolfoot suggested. Blindlefoot blinked at him.

"Like what?" He asked.

Poolfoot tipped his head. "If we take just a little bit of territory, just a little bit, why would they fight for it? It's wouldn't be enough to fight for."

Brindlefoot shrugged. "SpruceClan fights for anything 'injustice'."

"But we need to do _something_ , to show we aren't gonna just take it," Sparkfern persuaded, eyes burning bright. "We have to retaliate."

Poolfoot let out a rough _mrrow_ of agreement. "BrokenClan's just using us because they know we won't fight back because of SpruceClan."

Brindlefoor abruptly stood up. "I'll go discuss it with Briarstar." There was a flicker of unease in his eyes at the mention of his pale grey sister. He slinked away from the group, trudging over to the leader's den which was behind the boulder. Hawkspots, the clumsy white medicine cat tom with gray spots on his flank and brown eyes, was organizing herbs in his herb den when he noticed Brindlefoot going behind the boulder beside him. His face turned curious and he followed the deputy with interest.

Volepaw waited, awkwardly and silently beside Sparkfern and Poolfoot, who seemed to have forgotten about him. They began quietly chatting. Volepaw picked up some affections thrown between them and he pondered silently if they were mates, or at least loved each other.

The plump pale ginger tabby she-cat known as Morningpelt walked springily over to Volepaw, a glow in her amber eyes.

"Hey Volepaw," she purred, taking his attention away from the leader's den Brindlefoot and Hawkspots had disappeared into momentarily. He murmured a small hello to the she-cat. Morningpelt followed his gaze, before looking back at the gray tom with interest flickering in her gaze. "What duty are you on today?"

"Hunting," Volepaw answered simply with a small twitch of his tail.

Morningpelt purred. "Lucky! I'm on patrol duty. It's so boring. Patrol after patrol." Morningpelt looked expectantly at Volepaw. "How's hunting been?"

"Good," Volepaw responded curtly.

"...What'd you catch?"

"Thrush and two mice."

"Nice catch!" Morningpelt congratulated. Volepaw barely twitched. Morningpelt shifted awkwardly. "So, how's your day been?"

"Well," Volepaw stated. Deciding to be friendly, he continued with, "Yours?"

Morningpelt brightened up immensely. "Oh! It's been wonderful. Excusing the boring patrols, I've checked in on Poppyjump. Her belly's gotten bigger! Did you know that they're due in just two months? I bet they'll be the sweetest things!" Morningpelt gave a smooth, silky purr. "And I've been seeing the looks Driftpuddle has been throwing at Deerleap." Morningpelt smiled before lowing her voice, throwing a glance at Poolfoot and Sparkfern, who were sitting together a few pawsteps away from Volepaw and Morningpelt. "And I bet Sparkfern will be expecting Poolfoot's kits soon. I wonder if Briarstar will like that." Morningpelt's amber eyes glazed over, as she was unsure what to think herself.

Volepaw in particular wasn't listening to the pale ginger's rambling. He didn't really care about the gossip of camp, or who loved who. It never really interested him. Why should he concern himself with others business? Some probably didn't want him meddling with their love lives anyway. Especially Sparkfern and Poolfoot's relationship. He found it beetle-brained that cats should judge the two just because Briarstar didn't like her ginger-coated sister. Let them do whatever they wanted. They could run away and become kittypets together for all Volepaw cared.

Finally, Brindlefoot appeared from behind the boulder, striding with meaning towards the small gathering of cats; Sparkfern, Poolfoot, Volepaw and Morningpelt. Sparkfern and Volepaw turned their complete attention to him, while Morningpelt looked a little dismissive and Poolfoot was more focused on leaning into Sparkfern. Brindlefoot addressed Sparkfern and Poolfoot more than the other two young cats hovering beside them.

"Briarstar agrees that we should take some territory from them," Brindlefoot announced, head raising. Nervousness and boldness flickered in his gaze. "Hawkspots suggested we don't wait for them to fight over it."

"So we just take it?" Sparkfern murmured, a little shocked. Volepaw was too, just a bit. How would BrokenClan react?

Brindlefoot nodded. "Yes." He gazed at the cats, power radiating from him. It was amazing how the nervous deputy could show such power, though Volepaw supposed the bulk of his muscles had to come from somewhere. "We meet their rule-breaking with unfairness. If they wan't to steal our prey, then we'll steal their land. They can't do anything about it, and if SpruceClan has a problem with us..." Brindlefoot's eyes flashed. "We have a problem with them."

Volepaw stood bravely at the deputy's words, feeling strengthened. BrokenClan had tormented them for far too long. SpruceClan had intimidated them for far too long. If the two clans wanted to fight them together, FallenClan once had an alliance with PondClan, though he was pretty sure that meant nothing since the clan was so peaceful, and he was sure RushingClan wouldn't mind fighting SpruceClan too. Besides, Volepaw was sure FallenClan could find some way to divide the two clans and thus make them weaker.

Brindlefoot gaze sweeped over the cats.

"You all will be coming on my patrol to claim the territory," Brindlefoot said, tail swaying. Morningpelt's fur fluffed up in surprise while Volepaw blazed quietly with eagerness and anticipation. Poolfoot and Sparkfern collected themselves and began to stir, ready for action. Though, Volepaw supposed there wouldn't be much action if their goal was just to swoop in and steal some territory.

The group of cats flocked together, preparing to leave. Brindlefoot did the typical "Is everyone ready? No injuries, illness? No one needs to eat?", etcetera, etcetera. The few cats in camp began looking at the group peculiarly, obviously not knowing what was going on. Volepaw was happy Fuzzypaw and Newtfur weren't in camp at this moment. He saw Hawkspots walk over and share a word with Sparrowtail, the mostly black tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes, who was watching her kits squabble on the cave floor, play-fighting over a moss ball. The she-cat's eyes widened and she looked at the patrol. Volepaw assumed the medicine cat planned on getting the word around so they didn't have to wait for every cat to be in camp.

Brindlefoot's patrol began to take off, Morningpelt still looking surprised at being on the patrol, and they left through the cold stone entrance of the camp. In silence, they marched along the tunnels. Volepaw felt excitement tingle through his paws. He wasn't used to something abnormal, though he supposed a normal warrior wouldn't think this out of the ordinary. His life had been quit plain. Wake up, get assigned a duty, do it most likely alone, get annoyed by Fuzzypaw, feed the elders and queens, go to sleep. That was his life, always and every day.

They passed along the caves and tunnels, walls dusty where they were dug and smooth stone for those that were natural. The gray-furred tom padded silently beside Morningpelt, Poolfoot directly in front of them and Sparkfern and Brindlefoot taking lead, striding forward. Volepaw was a bit startled when the floor began forming bumps. He didn't think he'd be so unfocused not to see they were heading towards where the floor started to get ragged and jagged. It was unlike him. He quickly adjusted to the bumpy floor, trailing after Morningpelt as she had gotten farther than him.

The patrol was eerily quiet, and it felt like they were almost going off into battle, to their deaths. Volepaw supposed that they could be. Anyone who wasn't RushingClan had to be crazy enough to just go ahead and dis BrokenClan like this. SpruceClan would not be happy about that. Volepaw had no doubt in his mind that SpruceClan would have a stern word with them.

 _'Who do they think they are?'_ Volepaw mused, whiskers twitching. _'Our fathers?'_

SpruceClan was crazy. That's how you would describe them. Who in their right minds would ally with the thieving, back-stabbing weak BrokenClan? Volepaw always thought that maybe before their alliance, BrokenClan had instead been taking prey from SpruceClan's territory and not FallenClan's, and that perhaps SpruceClan had been reasonable enough to form some kind of deal with them, and it just happened to work so well that they continued the alliance for generations. While Volepaw and many other cats found the alliance weird, he was sure the cats in both SpruceClan and BrokenClan would find it odd _not_ to be allied with each other. While it may just seem that SpruceClan helped BrokenClan and BrokenClan never helped SpruceClan, that wasn't entirely true. BrokenClan had their own style of fighting, and it often worked perfectly with SpruceClan's own, which made them an unstoppable force. If SpruceClan was ever being threatened, the threaten-er would have to worry about BrokenClan too. BrokenClan probably had their own secrets that helped SpruceClan out too, Volepaw was sure of that, after all, this wasn't a MoonClan situation where SpruceClan wanted to just mother BrokenClan like MoonClan wanted to guard all the other clans. BrokenClan had to have something, maybe a special plant of some sort?

Volepaw was broken off from his wonderings as the patrol slipped out of the tunnels, breaching daylight. Volepaw readjusted to the heavy, blinding light, lungs breathing in the fresher, crispier air. While Volepaw took a moment to adjust, Morningpelt breathed deeply beside him, obviously happy to be out of the tunnels and have the sun warm her pale ginger pelt. Volepaw scrunched up his nose. To each his own, he supposed, but he found the tunnels much more delightful and comforting. He knew where his paws would lead him, and every tunnels purpose. The forest was much too open, and his pelt was heating up from the harsh sunlight. The air was one of the few things he liked, but even then, he didn't mind the dusty air below.

Brindlefoot and Sparkfern where the quickest to adjust, and took off without a moment's notice, speeding off towards the BrokenClan border. Poolfoot and Morningpelt followed them swiftly, and Volepaw found his paws tailing them before his mind could register. The patrol made ground in no time, coming to the barren lands of BrokenClan.

To Volepaw's surprise, Brindlefoot didn't even hesitate to cross the border, a stoic look on his features. Sparkfern followed him closely, albeit with a more hesitant, worried look. Poolfoot, Morningpelt and Volepaw traded looks, various opinions lathered on their faces. They followed the siblings, though, paws thudding on the ground.

The forest was deadly quiet. Yes, there was the chattering of squirrels, chirping of birds, the stridulating of crickets, and skittering of mice, but the silence of the patrol was what scared Volepaw most. Sure, he never spoke on the few he went on, but usually the others on the patrol would be gossiping, flirting, even. He had to stop his irrational thoughts, though, because he was pretty sure the only reason they were so hushed was because they were on BrokenClan territory.

 _'No,_ our _territory,'_ Volepaw corrected himself. This chunk would be theirs now. It rightfully belonged to FallenClan, no matter how upset BrokenClan and SpruceClan got over it.

Brindlefoot stopped and turned around, brushing against a fern, sure to keep his scent.

His eyes hardened. "We split up and mark the border as quick as possible. We don't want to start a battle, just to claim the territory." He flicked his tail down towards where SpruceClan's border was off in the distance. "Veer off before you hit SpruceClan's territory. We don't want them to know about this by smell, but by BrokenClan telling them." He straightened. "Curve in as you mark the boundaries." He dipped his head to Sparkfern, and they and Poolfoot began drifting down through the ferns, marking what they could. Volepaw noticed they weren't too precise with it, as if they weren't taking it too seriously. Volepaw also noticed that this meant the inside of the territory they were claiming would still smell like BrokenClan. He knew cats would be reluctant to step into this newly claimed patch of territory, because of the heavy, musky BrokenClan scent that Volepaw wasn't a fan of.

He and Morningpelt made swift work of the new border, careful to keep their eyes peeled for any BrokenClan patrols heading their way. They marked dried fern after fern, and every couple of trees that would pop up. Volepaw kept shaking his head back and forth, looking out on both sides for any threats. His fur puffed out uncomfortably. This land wasn't something Volepaw would ever find himself hunting or patrolling on or just living on. The grass poked between his paw pads, and everything looked dead. At least the underground didn't have dead stuff. The nasty, crow-food smell of BrokenClan rained rancid on his nose, making him not want to breath. Not to mention the feeling of unsafeness the openness provided him with.

Morningpelt seemed to share his regards, nose wrinkled in disgust and ears flattened, eyes flickering about. The two cats roamed in silence, marking what they deemed a good border, beginning to curve back to their own territory. Volepaw's fur stood up on his neck, the feeling of being watched due to the barren lands making him skittish.

"Hey!" A voice barked. Volepaw unsheathed his claws and whipped around, eyes narrowed, ready for a BrokenClan patrol to storm him and Morningpelt. Morningpelt's ginger fur fluffed up as she leaped, whisking around so quickly Volepaw thought she would break her neck.

The cat approaching the two FallenClanners was one Volepaw did not recognize. She was a young white she-cat with ginger tabby patches and bright, glaring green eyes. Suspicion pooled her leaf-green eyes. Her fur was smooth, unlike the spiked up FallenClan cat's. As she got nearer, Volepaw could smell her odd scent. It was similar to BrokenClan's, and he could smell scents of some BrokenClan cats on her, but she was missing the dried herb smell, instead replaced slimy fish. She smelled much like a rogue, and looked like one too, but she just didn't have the _feel_ of one.

Her eyes sharpened, and her tail swayed in warning. "What are you doing?"

The question... was odd, to say the least. If she was a BrokenClan cat, she would have been much more hostile and precise in her phrasing, but the way she sounded... It was more like she was just confused, or trying to prod information out of them because of pure curiosity.

Morningpelt looked at Volepaw, as bewildered and muddles as him. Her mouth hung open, at a loss of words to respond to the cat. Volepaw smoothed his fur and stepped forward, making sure to keep his stride strong and his stance radiating power, keeping his fear scent low.

"What's it to you?" Volepaw growled lowly, keeping his eyes narrowed to show the she-cat he wasn't afraid of a fight, and could match her hostility as well.

The white and ginger she-cat blinked. "It's just, this is _BrokenClan_ territory, and you certainly don't smell like BrokenClan." She waved her tail, brushing it along the fronds of ferns and weeds. A skeptical but interested look swarmed her features.

"You don't look like a BrokenClan cat," Volepaw hissed back. Morningpelt swooped in closer, raising her head in support.

Humor danced in the white and ginger she-cat's gaze. "So? You are also on their territory, and unlike you, _I_ think I have some right." She seemed to be challenging Volepaw. Morningpelt gave him a cautious glance.

"How so?" Volepaw asked, voice low and hostile, though he couldn't stop some of his own curiosity from slipping into his voice. Maybe she was a SpruceClan cat? But that wouldn't explain her smell.

Her gaze darkened and she lifted her head. "Wouldn't you like to know." She blinked away the darkness in her gaze and ruffled her pelt. She turned around. "Fine, whatever, do what you like. But I don't think BrokenClan will be too happy when I tell them what you've done. Or SpruceClan, for that matter." She began prancing away, in the direction of what Volepaw would assume the BrokenClan camp was at.

His ears flattened and he gave a yowl after the she-cat. "What?" He was so confused. He knew rogues littered BrokenClan's territory, but surely BrokenClan didn't let them? Or was the she-cat some kind of informant? He was so, so perplexed.

Morningpelt nudged his shoulder. "Come on, let's get this done quickly. I'd rather not still be here when she gets BrokenClan." Morningpelt ushered the apprentice away, and they made quick haste along, their markings becoming scarcer and weaker as they went, fear lacing it.

They waited in silence and fear for Brindlefoot, Sparkfern and Poolfoot to finish their border. The she-cat brought forward something knew to BrokenClan. They were just a hive of allies and knowledge and informants, weren't they? No wonder they claimed so much territory. Sure, they had to feed themselves somehow, but who knew where their control reached.

And that, to young Volepaw, was scary. And he thought he wasn't the type to be afraid.

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 **Oooh, mighty Volepaw's all scared ;) ah, he and Sorrelpaw both have found out that the clans that neighbor them aren't quite as weak or silly as they thought, haven't they? hmm, wonder what this means for the future, eh? What's your opinion of Volepaw? Still the same? What about FallenClan's deputy? Or Morningpelt? ahhg, I really love Morningpelt, I really do, I love how she and Volepaw interact, him barely acknowledging her and her trying so hard to gain his attention, they are such a dynamic duo, really, but unfortunately, i've got some plans for Morningpelt, and it seems Volepaw won't even care about it ;(**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	16. Chap14: A Conflict For the Ice Ages

**Fun Factozoid; Much like LionClan, TigerClan and LeopardClan's tales and myths in the Old Forest of the official warriors story, the cats here in the valley tell tales of LynxClan, PantherClan and CheetahClan. LynxClan: the small but cunning, warriors of the cliffs, traversed on SweetClan/MoonClan, RushingClan and SullenClan's territory. CheetahClan: the swift and fierce, claimed FallenClan, PondClan and BrokenClan's territory. PantherClan: stealthy and sly, thieves of SpruceClan and beyond's territory, hunters of the night, prowlers of the darkness**

 **Bonus Fact?: As of now, the main apprentices theme songs are as follows: Morningpaw: "When Can I See You Again" by Owl City, though the reason why is revealed two chapters from now (no its not forbidden love, starclan forbid). ?paw: "Immortal" by Fall Out Boy. Fidgetpaw: "Daddy Issues" by The Neighborhood. Tansypaw: "Don't Stop (Color on The Walls)" by Foster the People. Puddlepaw: "Derniere Danse (Last Dance)" by Indila(?). Volepaw: "ES" by Crying. Sorrelpaw: "Hurry, Hurry" by Air Traffic Controller. Lightpaw: "Would You Be Impressed?" by Streetlight Manifesto.**

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 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 14**

The light gray and white patched apprentice Fidgetpaw was doing what he did best, fidgeting. Gingerwing, the white she-cat with ginger tabby patches and bright leaf-green eyes, had just slipped into camp. It was Fidgetpaw's first time seeing the special loner she-cat, and he was of course in awe of the she-cat's elegance. He was currently leaning into Longpaw's side, fumbling with his paws. Fidgetpaw wondered if his dark silver tabby denmate had been as awed and nervous when she first met Gingerwing.

Cats began to gather around Gingerwing, giving her a warm welcome and friendly purrs. Ferretpaw stirred from the apprentice's den, wondering what the commotion was about. He stepped outside, brushing his pelt against his sister as he went. His eyes lit up as he recognized the ginger-patched she-cat. He wandered forward, forming with the crowd around Gingerwing.

Fidgetpaw wondered if he should also, but Longpaw didn't move, so he stayed put at her side. Her dark blue eyes stayed glued on the white and ginger loner. Her gaze was solemn, and emotionless, so much so that Fidgetpaw shivered. She blinked and turned her gaze to him, a new warm tint to them. Fidgetpaw lowered his gaze to his paws submissively. Longpaw wrapped her ringed tail around him and gave something between a purr and a hiss.

The noise died out as Copperstar, a large, skinny, scarred bright brown tabby tom with thick, jagged stripes and bright brown-amber eyes, prowled forward from his den, approaching Gingerwing with confidence. Head held high, his clanmates all dispersed, letting him pass through the crown. The tom dipped his head to Gingerwing. Wishwing the sleek, fluffy-chested white she-cat with faded gray smudges and BrokenClan's deputy slipped over to his side, followed by Sniffnose the barren tortoiseshell medicine cat and Copperstar's son. Leaftail had drifted over to Fidgetpaw and Longpaw, her eyes laced with some emotion Fidgetpaw didn't quite catch. Her face turned from a scowl to a polite smile and she sat beside the apprentices.

Fidgetpaw crouched down, squeezing his body into the curve of Longpaw's. Leaftail, the pale brown tabby she-cat, flicked her tail as she watched Copperstar and Gingerwing share short words. Gingerwing jerked her had up high, green gaze slowly looking around the camp and at the BrokenClan cats. She raised her voice.

"So, I might not be the most educated on the ways of clanlife, but I assume FallenClan marking _in_ side your borders isn't normal?" Gingerwing announced. Murmurs and yowls broke out, most confused as to what she meant.

"FallenClan? Are they mouse-brains?"

"Those fox-hearts! They don't even need the territory!"

Fidgetpaw's body vibrated as Longpaw let out a long, drawn out rumbly hiss. Leaftail frowned, dark amber eyes shining in thought. Copperstar's eyes blazed in anger and he let out a loud hiss. Wishwing clawed the ground beside him while Sniffnose looked thoughtful.

"How dare they," Copperstar hissed under his breath. He dipped his head politely to Gingerwing. "Thank you, Gingerwing, you have always helped BrokenClan and we are grateful."

Gingerwing blinked, a small smile tugging on her lips. "It's what I do best."

Wishwing stirred beside Copperstar, gaining his attention. "Did they just mark it? They didn't wait for a fight?"

Gingerwing turned to face the cats surrounding them. She cleared her throat. "Yes. It was a fair chunk of land, but not a lot. Two cats were marking it from what I saw. A she-cat and what I assume was an apprentice. I believe there might be more, but I don't know."

Wishwing glanced at Copperstar. "So they think they can just take our land without even informing us?" Her voice was silky soft, but a dark undertone tinted it, and there was a mischievous glare in her pale blue eyes.

Copperstar faced his deputy, a warmness in his eyes. "Do you have an idea, Wishwing?" Wishwing, of the two cats, was the much more cunning, and smarter, and so Copperstar, the more fiercer and more powerful, intimidating cat, would often look to her for advice or a plan. The two made BrokenClan fierce-some.

Wishwing's tufted ears twitched, an evil smile on her lips. "We do it right back to them."

Copperstar blinked, and a few other cats threw in murmurs of confusion and puzzled whispers.

"What do you mean?" A cat, Ashfall, called out from beside her brother.

Wishwing looked at her clan. She may be small, but the light in her eyes told the clan of her importance.

"They expect us to fight back, retaliate, get angry," Wishwing stated loudly. Something powerful in her voice drew Fidgetpaw closer to her, but he still made sure to keep near Longpaw. Wishwing's eyes blazed. "They expect us to crawl to SpruceClan, having them fight the battle. SpruceClan can concern themselves with the rogues that constantly poke at our borders. We, on the other paw, will take back the land from FallenClan, but in the same way they did: without a fight." Her eyes twinkled. "After all, a little passive-aggressiveness never hurt, did it?"

The BrokenClan cats discussed among themselves, some seeming to want to fight, while others enthusiastically cheered for the plan. Longpaw breathed out, the heat hitting Fidgetpaw's ear. He looked at Longpaw, curiosity filling his gaze. What did she think?

Longpaw lashed a ringed tail. "It's a plan, I guess. I'm not sure FallenClan will role over and let us take it back." Fidgetpaw twitched his ears in agreement.

Leaftail shifted beside them. "FallenClan was unhonorable for taking the land without a fight or a warning. We have every right to take the land back." Her gaze flickered to where Gingerwing was talking with Copperstar, Wishwing and Sniffnose before flicking back to Longpaw and Fidgetpaw.

Longpaw nodded in agreement. "I'm sure they aren't expecting us to do the same as them." There was a purr to her voice, and as always Fidgetpaw found himself agreeing with her whole-heartedly. She was the smartest of the three apprentices. She was also the most adventurist, and Fidgetpaw always felt his heart beat whenever she flung herself so foolishly into danger. She shifted, her silver tabby pelt glowed in the light, looking like a silver aspen tree.

"Alright," Copperstar called out, voice loud and clear, demanding the attention of his cats. He lifted his head high as the discussion died down. "We will have a patrol go down and take back the territory. One cat will go report to SpruceClan."

Wishwing slid forward, tail tip twitching. Her pale blue eyes gazed over her clanmates. "Newtskip, Wildmask and Fidgetpaw will go with me to remark the border. Heavycloud will go to SpruceClan."

Fidgetpaw froze up, hairs on end. Longpaw shuffled beside him, giving him a rough nudge.

"Lucky," Longpaw whined, eyes glittering with envy. "You always get to go on the important patrols. 's no fair!"

Leaftail brushed her tail over the dry leaves beside the bickering she-cat. "Complain about that, I don't even get to go on patrols!"

Longpaw gave the brown tabby she-cat a light glare. "You're a medicine cat. You can't complain."

While Fidgetpaw would have liked to stay and watch the two she-cats have a light-hearted argument, Wildmask called him over for the important patrol. The light gray and white tom wadded through the ferns, dipping his head to the other cats on the patrol. Newtskip, a young, scrawny gray tom with odd black patches and dark green eyes, shuffled on his paws, shoulder blades poking out. Wildmask, the mostly white gray and orange patched tortoiseshell she-cat eyes, swayed between Wishwing and Newtskip, waiting for her fluffy-chested apprentice.

At Fidgetpaw's arrival, Wishwing immediately set off, and the patrol scrambled after her. Newtskip walked with arrogance, but he shivered as if the air was as cold as leaf-bare's. Wildmask's leaf-green eyes scanned the barren lands of BrokenClan's territory. Fidgetpaw himself felt threatened, unsafe in his own territory. What if Chelsey's gang of rogues popped up, or FallenClan was still at the border? Maybe, even, a cat all the way from MoonClan had sauntered down and was parading around, taking BrokenClan's rightful territory. BrokenClan, through seasons of fighting and thieving, had managed to claim just enough territory to sustain themselves, and here FallenClan was just coming in and snatching it from under their noses without so much as a whisker's warning! Fidgetpaw couldn't determine if they had completely gone brain-dead, or were just very bold. And if they were very bold, that must mean they felt confident they could take BrokenClan and SpruceClan in a fight, and that worried the small apprentice.

Fidgetpaw jumped over a rotten log, following his mentor's pawsteps. He slipped in beside Newtskip. The gray and black tom was limping slightly, and Fidgetpaw realized he must had never gone to the medicine cat's den after getting that small scratch on his paw, so it had gotten infected. He would have to tell Leaftail about that later.

The patrol swiftly came across the "border" FallenClan had tried to mark. It was quite pathetic, if Fidgetpaw was to say. It was strong, but scattered, and as Fidgetpaw merely hopped over the scent line, it was like he was back in BrokenClan territory. The FallenClanners had not even bothered to mark the inside of what they claimed. Fidgetpaw's whiskers twitched at that, and he saw Wishwing's brows furrow. Clearly, this was not what she had expected. Not what any cat had expected. What were the FallenClan cats even thinking they would accomplish?

The BrokenClan cats marked the borders in silence, Newtskip giving a chuff of a joke in Fidgetpaw's direction about FallenClan becoming lazier over the moons, sleeping in their tunnels like badgers. The border was extremely easy to remark, they barely bothered to cover up the indolent FallenClan scents that lingered on BrokenClan's reclaimed territory. The chunk was quite small anyway. Did FallenClan just _think_ they could claim the tiny strip of land because it wasn't worth a fight?

Fidgetpaw let out a quiet snort. FallenClan must have bees for brains. Briarstar was surely a more competent leader than that. This decision reminded Fidgetpaw more of Lizardstar of PondClan. She probably would have tried to sneak something like this on SullenClan, if her clan was not so peaceful. They didn't have enough fish-guts to do something so daring. All the other clan leaders, Ryestar, Dawnstar and Sweetstar especially, were too justful to commit an act like FallenClan's. And _BrokenClan_ was the "thieving, fox-hearted, prey-stealing back-stabbers!"

The patrol regrouped at the reed patch that tickled FallenClan's border. They gathered, Newtskip spitting at the FallenClan cats' border. Wildmask and Wishwing traded soft words, eyes peering out into the bright, thin-treed forest FallenClan called their home. Fidgetpaw's ears pricked as he strained to catch what they murmured.

"...take more..."

"...no...without Copperstar's..."

Wishwing jerked her head up, nose pointing towards SpruceClan's distant border. Fidgetpaw gave a small bounce, snaking around Newtskip's bony body, to peer as the grass parted, a figure trudging out from where SpruceClan and FallenClan's territories met. It was blurry from distance for a moment, but it trotted along the SpruceClan-BrokenClan-FallenClan border, slipping out when it seemed another had caught up. The first brown figure was followed by a muscular white one. The two figures made haste through BrokenClan territory, eyes seemingly focused only on their destination, and not of the BrokenClan cats who watched with curious eyes. Fidgetpaw realized with a jolt that the white figure was familiar. That was Hailmask, SpruceClan's deputy!

Newtskip also seemed to realize this at the same time as Fidgetpaw, his face furrowing in confusion as he opened his maw as if to exclaim something, probably of a loud caliber. Wishwing slapped her white-gray tail over his mouth, eyes narrowed as she watched the two cats making ground quickly, obviously having somewhere to get to quickly.

Wildmask turned her head around, gazing for her apprentice before beckoning Fidgetpaw forward. Fidgetpaw timidly dipped his head to her, slinking forward. To his surprise, she draped an orange and white tail over his shoulders and pulled him close. He felt himself tense up. He had only ever leaned into Longpaw and Ashfall's sides. Daring to look at her leaf-green eyes, he saw her eyes swarm with puzzlement. Her fur spiked up at her shoulders as if the bewilderment of seeing Hailmask and the brown stranger was that much of a shock.

Wishwing leaped into action when the two cats were as close as they would be on their trip. She yowled out Hailmask's name and strode forward, command in her stride. The BrokenClan patrol followed suit.

Fidgetpaw saw Hailmask's hair raise as he snapped around, while his companion, a pale brown tabby she-cat with a creamy underbelly and soft green eyes froze up, short fur fluffing out, especially at her tail and neck.

Hailmask's eyes were one of alarm and shock as he stared at the BrokenClan cats.

Wildmask gave a flick of an ear to him in respect, and Fidgetpaw dipped his head in fearful respect for the large, intimidating SpruceClan deputy. Wishwing stood as his equal, eyes hardened, while Newtskip stared at the deputy in some sort of defiance and arrogance.

Hailmask dipped his head to Wishwing politely, fur flattening and dismissing the alarm from his eyes. "Greetings, Wishwing."

Wishwing did not seem to want to go through greetings. She flicked her tail at the puffed out she-cat, who's eyes were as wide and frightened as owlets. "Who is that?"

Hailmask gazed at the stiff she-cat dismissively, tail curling. "A cat from Chelsey's gang. Juniper, was it?" The she-cat gave him a perplexed look, before she blinked out of her stupor, shaking out her pelt, sheathing her claws, and taking a breath. Her eyes unsteadily met Wishwing's, before fluttering back to Hailmask. She gave no response to Hailmask's inquiry.

Fidgetpaw felt his panic raise. A _gang_ cat?! Here? Just in front of him? With SpruceClan's deputy no less!

His clanmates shared his shock.

"Well then, what are you doing?" Newtskip hissed, patched gray and black fur raising, and eyes glaring accusingly at Hailmask. Hailmask calmly waved his tail.

"She needed an escort," Hailmask snorted, almost humorously. A sense of tension hung heavy in his shoulders, though, Fidgetpaw noted. Hailmask blinked his blue eyes. "She was sniffing our tree-marks, which I'm sure some cat will tell you about sooner or later, down by battle tree pit. I confronted her of course." Hailmask paused, eyes flicking back momentarily to the she-cat. "She convinced me she wasn't meaning any disrespect to our borders, just that Chelsey had forced her out to find a squirrel in our forests."

Wildmask leaned forward. Fidgetpaw had leaned into her fluffy pelt, half of his face covered by the sheer fluffiness of it. His other eye eyed Hailmask suspiciously and fearfully. Wildmask twitched her whiskers. "So you would say you aren't happy at Chelsey?" Fidgetpaw watched the she-cat blink, confusion flashing in her eyes. Fidgetpaw was a bit surprised at what his mentor was playing at. It seemed like she was trying to slither information out of the gang cat, even trying to convince her of- Fidgetpaw dared not think it, but, _spying_. They already had Gingerwing monitoring Chelsey's gang! Wasn't that enough?

But he supposed getting spies was only logical. If they could undermine Chelsey's gang and get cats to leave, wouldn't that help them out so much?

The she-cat cast Hailmask a struggling glance, and she fidgeting with her paws. She seemed unsure. It seemed the startle of meeting the BrokenClan cats had not worn off. "I guess, but-" She broke off, gaze flitting to the sun overhead. "I have kits to get back to. My little Feverfew and my sweet Horsetail." She turned a desperate gaze to the BrokenClan cats. "Please, may I go? I wish not to think of what might be happening to them, all alone..." Her voice was wistful, but Fidgetpaw heard the familiar tone he heard so often in Wishwing's voice when she was convincing cats, twisting their emotions and playing at their hearts.

Wishwing, Wildmask and Newtskip traded short glances. Wishwing dipped her head to Hailmask and the she-cat hesitantly. "Be on your way. And don't even _think_ of coming back onto BrokenClan or SpruceClan territory." Her pale blue eyes narrowed and her claws stabbed the ground. "There _will_ be consequences."

The she-cat bowed her head before scrambling off, Hailmask trailing after her with trained eyes.

Newtskip glanced at his clanmates. "How odd. Didn't know Chelsey's gang had cats starting without the letter S."

Wildmask let out a chuckle, eyes brimming with affection at the light-hearted comment from the usually aggressive tom before sharpening with seriousness. "Although, Hailmask seemed off."

Wishwing's eyes didn't stray from the disappearing shadows of the two cats. "You don't think he's fallen for her?"

Wildmask stepped forward. "No. There was no affection or lightness in his eyes. That cat's all stone."

"He w-wasn-n't r-r-right th-then," Fidgetpaw offered into the conversation. Newtskip nodded in agreement.

Wishwing flicked her tail. "Hailmask's interests and hobbies do not concern us as of now. We must go report back to Copperstar of FallenClan."

FallenClan? Fidgetpaw blinked. He had forgotten that was what they had originally been doing. Remarking the border. His eyes trailed back to the trees. He wondered what they might be doing. Was it anything as exciting as seeing Hailmask and the stranger? They must live boring lives under the ground. Briarstar seemed like a boring leader, all stiffness and no power. Fidgetpaw, despite his anxiety, could never imagine a life without the constant threat and wonder that was the rogues.

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 **Tsk, Haily, Haily, what are you doing? Going ahead and messing up my plot. You aren't important yet! Anyway, just to clear it up now, no, Hailmask and Juniper aren't in any kind of relationship, not of friendship or romance. So, what'd you think of this chapter? I got sick halfway through writing it ;(. Opinion of Fidgetpaw? I didn't write him well in this chapter. Opinion of FallenClan and BrokenClan's little conflict? How silly and stupid it is!**

 **Bonus Fact: Sorrelpaw is a heteroromantic greysexual, Puddlepaw a biromantic heterosexual, Fidgetpaw a demiromantic demisexual, Morningpaw a heteroromantic heterosexual, Tansypaw is heteroromantic/greyromantic turned aromantic asexual, Volepaw is an aromantic pansexual, Lightpaw is panromantic heterosexual and ?paw is heteroromantic polysexual.**

 **Double Fact!: BrokenClan would have been killed off before this story starts if they weren't allied with SpruceClan. Their greed, their hunger, their gluttony very well would have lead them to their demise, meeting a gruesome end in a bloody battle against SpruceClan and FallenClan. But then, SpruceClan would have died to disease without BrokenClan because Foxskip is just that bad, but MoonClan would have tried to prevent it.**

 **TRIPLE FACT?: Newtskip, Newtfur, Morningpelt, Morningpaw, Heatherbird, and Heatherheart are examples of the fact that so many clans and so many cats can cause similar names or same names- Newtskip was six moons younger than Newtfur, meaning Newtfur was Newtpaw when Newtskip was Newtkit. Heatherbird and Heatherheart had more of a gap. Morningpelt and Morningpaw situation is similar to the Newts.**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	17. Chap15: A Frozen Oak is Still a Tree

_**Guest/Anonymous:**_ **thanks for the kit submission! unfortunately, Willowchill and Ivyblaze have a bit of a plotline with their kits, so Maplekit won't be there kit ;( instead, she'll be apart of Poppyjump and Lightningshine's litter!**

 **-Due to that fact, I'm gonna clarify what's happened since theirs just been a moon skip!: Mothshine's kits became apprentice, Sunnybelly had her kits (Blossomkit, Thrushkit, Rumblekit, Frondkit), Hollyjaw went into the nursery w/ Feathernight's kits, Willowchill went into an early birth and had a whopping FIVE kits (Waterkit, Frecklekit, Gillkit, Salamanderkit, Duckkit), - and Hollyleg's litter had been decided on, Poppyjump's has been decided on, Jaymoon's aswell, Hollyjaw and Feathernight's kittens have not! SO, anyone who wants to submit, either submit kits without known parents or kits for Hollyjaw+Feathernight, whom will have only black kittens and some may have a little white(litter of two)!**

 **Fun Fact: I _love_ writing Foxskip because literally I just spew whatever I'm thinking onto her- so every kit name she says is because I was rereading my story as I wrote and saw a word (e.i. 'breeze') that could be a warrior cat's name, so i'd think 'breezekit' and then I'd have Foxskip say it. I also have a name generator so if i stumble upon a kit-name that i don't have on the list, i add it! i also do this kit thing when i'm at school and reading a book there or studying something, like in science class, shalekit and claykit! and in literature, hickorykit and canopykit.**

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 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 15**

A moon had passed since Tansypaw was first apprenticed. She had learned how to hunt properly, although her tail had a mind of its own sometimes, and she was grasping the basics of fighting. Leafthroat had taught her many skills, including tracking and climbing. He said soon she would learn from a BrokenClan cat how to hide her scent properly. Needless to say, she was excited. Apprenticeship was still the best thing ever. Great StarClan, she didn't even want to be a warrior yet! Running around, exploring the territory, caring for the clan elder Flowerskip, chatting with Rosepaw, Flintpaw and Wasppaw. Life was good. The only thing Tansypaw thought needed change was how little quality time she got to spend with her snowy-furred sister.

Tansypaw had just missed the opportunity, as Snowpaw had been called by her mentor, Amberfrost, to go on dawn patrol. So Tansypaw sat, between the medicine cat den and nursery. Foxskip, the ditsy SpruceClan medicine cat, laid sprawled out on her back, sun warming her belly, a mouse-tail-length away from Tansypaw.

Tansypaw found her... odd.

Foxskip had kept to her own little world, for a little bit, before she had randomly blurted out kit names, of all things. Fluffykit and Pebblekit. She began rambling on about the weather, and how the clearness of it was startling as leaf-fall approached.

Foxskip's eyes flickered from the blue sky to Tansypaw for the first time during their one-sided chat. Tansypaw met her light brown-ish gaze with her own, hesitant light green eyes. Foxskip rolled over, shaking the leaves off of her short-furred pelt. Her front white paws pulled her weight up. She wasn't as lean and slender as the warriors of the clan, taking on a more plumpish, over-fed stature.

"How's your warrior apprenticeship going?" Foxskip chirped, eyes alight. "I remember mine. That was only, what, eight moons ago?" Their was a warmth in her eyes, but it was coated heavily in a ditsy haze. Her expression was the same as always, smiling in a crazy way. If she ever stopped smiling, the clan would know something was wrong. She was energetic, weird, and ditsy. That's how every cat described her. "Energetic", if you were polite. "Weird", if you weren't. "Ditsy", if you knew her.

Despite Tansypaw's lack of response, Foxskip rumbled on. "Hollyleg's kits are due in just a moon!" Foxskip flicked on ear. "Though, I suspect they'll come earlier. A half-moon, perhaps?" Foxskip stared at the sky, eyes in a daze. Tansypaw felt a ripple of unease. Shouldn't Foxskip _know_ when the kits were due, not just 'suspect'?

Tansypaw shuffled her paws, glancing towards the nursery to see her mother, Tangleleap, who was a fat grayish silver tabby she-cat with a lighter belly and light blue eyes, was lazily watching her kits- her and Hailmask's kits, not Owlwing's- romp around, tussling in the leaves and jumping on each other's tails. Finchkit, a silver tabby tom-kit, squealed and ran in fear as his fluffy white sister Cloudkit chased after him, claws unsheathed. Snailkit, a black tom-kit with amber eyes, watched on, eyes sparkling with delight and amusement, but he did not join in the chase. They were a little bit older than a moon.

Foxskip noticed Tansypaw's longing, muddled gaze towards her half-siblings.

"What where their names?" Foxskip asked quickly. "Shellkit, Fightkit, Clodkit?" Foxskip didn't wait for Tansypaw's response. "When were they born?" Tansypaw winced inwardly at the question. She wished she could just avoid the fact. "It was a moon ago right? Before you were an apprentice? Or was it after?" Was Foxskip trying to rub it in her face? Tansypaw sent her a small glare, but she softened as she saw Foxskip's. She was merely rubbing a paw over her ear, innocence and naivety twinkling in her eyes. The she-cat herself was not more than a kit in her ways.

Foxskip stretched out a hind leg. "Hmm, I would have named Cloudykit Softkit. Just look at her fur!" She let out a rumbly purr. "I remember when you and Snowpaw were fluffy kits. It was just a moon ago, so yeah." Foxskip rolled over, batting a small twig away. Her eyes lit up like a kit who just caught a moth. "Twigkit! Oooh, maybe Stickkit?"

Tansypaw offered the sporadic medicine cat a polite smile, before her attention drifted towards the entrance of camp. Hailmask, muscular and white-furred, gray around his eyes, was hovering in front of it, paw lifted and glancing around warily. Tansypaw narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Why was the usually powerful deputy looking so nervous? Or maybe nervous wasn't the right word. Cautious, chary, even.

Now alert, Tansypaw pricked her ears as the tom lowered his head and slinked out of camp. She hesitated on her paws. Whatever the SpruceClan deputy did shouldn't be of her concern. He could just be going the long way out to make dirt. Would she like her privacy invaded? But her hesitation slipped away as she moved forward. She heard Foxskip mumbling about a "Slugkit" or a "Maggotkit" as she left.

Tansypaw cautiously picked up Hailmask's scent- it reminded her of Owlwing's, but more harsher and sharper. Owlwing's scent was like a damp breeze on a hollow morning. Hailmask's was like cold dead prey left in a snowstorm.

She trailed Hailmask, and she felt a spark of contentedness rise towards her mentor. Leafthroat had taught her one thing very well. Tracking. She knew almost every pawstep through the forest (and if she ever forgot, her tree-marks had become widely excepted among the clan!) and could tell a field-mouse from a dormouse. She was proud of her tracking skills. Soon she would pass Rosepaw and Iceheart's tracking skills. They were the best in the clan, perhaps the whole forest! Tansypaw was also acutely aware of the fact her mother was among the few good trackers in clan, but she dare not feel a connection to the silver tabby queen because of it. Tangleleap was Tansypaw's mother, and no more.

Tansypaw snapped into focus as Hailmask's scent trail wound around a tree, looping back towards the empty territory that skimmed SpruceClan and BrokenClan's borders. The empty territory wasn't as prey-rich as SpruceClan, but not as tree-barren as BrokenClan's territory. A small forest concealed itself far off, hidden between the grassy hills. The territory was unclaimed due to the fact that no cat really needed it.

Tansypaw's nose flared as she scented a patrol, one she assumed was a hunting patrol, nearby.

She whirled around as a twig crunched beneath heavy paws. Out into the patch of openness beside Tansypaw slipped a muscular brown tabby tom with wide, curious eyes, big as owls in the night. His short-furred tail curled around a fern. He held a juicy red squirrel in his jaws.

Tansypaw dipped her head down to the respected warrior, calming down her fluffed up fur and steadying her rapid heartbeat.

Oaktail blinked at her. "Tansypaw? What are you doing?" Sharpness was in his eyes after a moment. "Is Leafthroat having you do one of those ridiculous things where you run around all day?"

Tansypaw gave a short laugh that sounded more like a cough. "No, no, I'm um..." He eyes gazed out into the emptiness, past the border. Her nose still tickled with the fresh scents of Hailmask. Should she tell him?

It seemed like she needn't anyway. Oaktail had scented the air in her hesitance, and had smelt the SpruceClan deputy even through the delicious smelling squirrel he held. He dropped his kill and pushed it aside. Tansypaw hoped he wouldn't leave it open so close to the border. She had learned her lesson.

"Is that Hailmask? Where you on a patrol with him?" Oaktail squinted between the canopy of the trees, glaring at the sun. "It's still dawn. He usually has all patrols organized by now. Has he... wondered off?" There was clear accusation in Oaktail's mew. He stared at the young apprentice, sharp curiosity in his gaze.

Tansypaw gave an uncertain flick of her ear. "Um, I don't know? I saw him sneaking out of camp so I got suspicious."

Oaktail looked off into the distance, where Hailmask's scent trail had fled. "And followed him." Tansypaw didn't know if she should answer that. Was she supposed to? Tangleleap had told her about rhetorical questions, or things that weren't even questions at all. Tansypaw had always been a kit who both loved to question, and answer, and she hadn't been the keenness to sarcasm. Oaktail shifted on his paws, eyes narrowed in concentration.

Tansypaw awkwardly stood there, waiting for Oaktail's decision. He was a well-respected warrior and Rosepaw's mentor, so Tansypaw felt he should be the one making the decision. It only now occurred to her that she could get in trouble for wondering out of camp unsupervised.

Oaktail waved his tail over the undergrowth. "Tansypaw, go back to camp. _I'll_ follow him."

Tansypaw felt a flare of indigence as her fur spiked. "But I tracked him! Why can't I go?"

Oaktail glanced at her. "Because your a new apprentice. You're still learning how to fight and hunt."

"But I can track," Tansypaw argued, standing on her toes. Her eyes may have blazed, but her confidence wavered. She knew Rosepaw was in and out of camp no problem, she was very independent from her mentor. Tansypaw had never left camp without Leafthroat, or at least Amberfrost. Only once, and that was to test if she could make it down to the RushingClan border and back, which had been unfairly easy because of the tree-marks.

Oaktail held her gaze for a moment. Tansypaw faltered. This wasn't really anything important, she needn't be so defiant. But Oaktail broke her gaze. "Alright, but stay out of trouble." Oaktail retreated to his kill, hiding it among ferns. He turned to Tansypaw and flicked his tail at her. She gave a low bow of her head to him as he lead her along Hailmask's scent trail, padding over the border to unclaimed territory. Tansypaw made sure never to stray far from Oaktail's side, but also kept her paws on the same path Hailmask had taken. His white hairs had littered some of the muddy ground.

To the two SpruceClanners surprise, Hailmask had stayed particularly close to the BrokenClan border, skimming and snaking along it, heading towards the cliffs. It was as if he didn't want BrokenClan to scent him, but still needed to use the border as a guide. Oaktail and Tansypaw followed his scent as close as they could. The pathway Hailmask had used was not well concealed, so Tansypaw was led to believe he didn't think BrokenClan would put up a fuss if they spotted him. Tansypaw vaguely remembered a BrokenClan patrol mentioning him and a gang cat or something.

Tansypaw's attention was caught by movement from within BrokenClan's borders. A flash of silver taking off after a light brown blur. Tansypaw stared dumbly at the sight, freezing up like a deer caught in headlights. Oaktail stumbled and froze beside her, looking at what she was looking at. BrokenClan's lands were barren and open, a patrol could easily spot them.

Tansypaw forced her heartbeat to stop thumping as she realized it was a lone apprentice, in fact, the same one she had seen on her first day of apprenticeship, just a moon ago. The apprentice stared at them from where he had made his kill, eyes wide and startled. Clearly, he was not expecting them. He was quite a bit away from the two SpruceClan cats, and so the hills rolled, putting him at an awkward angle. Tansypaw saw his large silver ears flatten and could just see the confusion and hesitation in him. His figure jerked, taking the light brown rabbit with him- did he always hunt rabbits? He shuffled awkwardly, moving about on his paws.

Tansypaw felt something nudge her shoulder and she turned her head to see Oaktail looking at her with sparkling eyes. "Come on, let's continue."

"But," Tansypaw hesitated, eyes flickering to the silver tabby tom. "But, what about the tom?"

Oaktail shook his head lightly. "He looks to be on a hunting patrol."

"You were on one too," Tansypaw pointed out. Oaktail blinked, opening his mouth to speak before closing it again. His fur lifted a bit.

He frowned. "Well, unless you wanna yowl at him, there's not much to really do."

Tansypaw shifted on her grey and pale ginger paws, frowning as well, in agreement. She couldn't really find it in herself to yowl half-way across BrokenClan's territory just to invite the tom to come on over, or to tell him to ignore them, or whatever they even planned to do.

Tansypaw dipped her head to Oaktail, a signal that they could continue walking. She felt a little hollow for just leaving the tom there, puzzled and curious. She couldn't help but keep her eyes locked on him as he blankly stared after them, rabbit hanging from his mouth. He blinked, and just like that, he disappeared into the hills, dragging a rabbit after him. Tansypaw felt a surge of relief. She turned back to the ground, drinking in the fresh scent of Hailmask and following it. Oaktail kept an eye out for danger.

They trudged on in silence, and Tansypaw couldn't help but let her thoughts wander. Should she really be doing this? While the thrill in her paws was certainly welcomed, she couldn't help but feel as if she was getting into something much bigger than her. Or perhaps she was just overreacting? Casting a glance at a concentrated Oaktail, Tansypaw couldn't help but feel a prickle of unease. Now that she thought about it, Rosepaw's mentor and the SpruceClan deputy never seemed to see eye to eye, or at least, on Oaktail's part. He always seem to cast the deputy odd looks. Maybe... maybe it was because Oaktail knew about Hailmask wandering off? Or was it something on Oaktail's part?

Oaktail suddenly sped up, and Tansypaw realized the reason why. They were leaving BrokenClan's border and nearing rogue territory. To Tansypaw's surprise, it was hard to differentiate between BrokenClan's scent and the smell of a rogue. They were very similar, except the what she assumed was rogues lacked the dried herb smell. The forest started to pick up, but the trees were far too short and young to bring any promise of prey. The scent of the dead plants was vicious, and the feeble flowers that tried to grow there only masked the hideous scent for a moment. Was everything BrokenClan's territory touched and beyond always dying? Did the plants have some kind of disease? How did Sniffnose and Leaftail, their medicine cats, get any kind of healing herbs then?

Oaktail slipped into the half-grown patch of trees, his head hitting a low-hanging branch. He mumbled something under his breath and ducked lower to avoid further branch hitting. Tansypaw followed his lead, finding the short trees annoying. The half-bloomed leaves brushed her ears and the folding over ferns rubbed irritatingly against her pelt. Normally, Tansypaw didn't mind plants rubbing against her, after all, SpruceClan territory was an overgrown forest, but the feeling of dying fronds was not welcomed. Some flecks of the dead plants even rubbed off onto her pelt. She lashed her tail a bit.

Tansypaw realized she had momentarily lost Hailmask's scent, and frantically looked around, chasing after Oaktail, who seemed more confident in where his paws were going. Had he been her before? In rogue territory?

Tansypaw felt her heart skip a beat when she realized, oh _StarClan_ , they were _in rogue territory._ Home of Chelsey's gang. Land of cats who didn't follow the warrior code, who weren't afraid to kill.

Her breath hitched and she stayed as close to Oaktail's side as she could. This was a bad idea. They should just let Hailmask do whatever he was doing. It wasn't like he was harming anyone.

 _'But what if he is?'_ Her mind argued, and she realized it might be right. What if he was hurting somebody? Even though he was SpruceClan's deputy, and deputies shouldn't hurt an innocent cat, he did have a temper. This was rogue territory, and rogues were merciless.

Tansypaw shook the line of thought from her head. She shouldn't jump to conclusions like that. Hailmask, as far as she had known, had _never_ killed or maimed a cat before, harmed yes, but in border skirmishes and battles against RushingClan and FallenClan. Probably against MoonClan as well, back when they were still fighting for their independence. Hailmask was one of the cats who still wasn't quite happy with them. But plenty of cats had harmed other cats before, during and after MoonClan's existence.

Oaktail swayed his tail in front of Tansypaw, signalling for her to crouch down. She did so, and she saw the reason why.

If her heart had been skipping beats before, it was like her heart had stopped beating entirely now.

There it was.

The heart of Chelsey's gang.

In front of Tansypaw.

She shivered, whether out of thrill, awe, fearfulness or all three. Or maybe even from the chilliness that the start of leaf-fall presented. Who knows.

Tansypaw, wide-eyed, took in the camp. It was not by any means anything spectacular. It had no bramble walls like SpruceClan. It was open, the walls of the cliffs the only thing protecting it. Many caves littered the walls. One cave had the face of a pale reddish ginger masked pale gray tabby she-cat sticking out of it, dark amber eyes brimming with some kind of emotion- tiredness? Defiance? Unhappiness? Worry? Anger? She couldn't tell. Not from this distance. But it wasn't a positive emotion, more on the neutral or negative spectrum. Another masked cat, a dark gray tom watched from behind a maple bush, dull, dark honey-colored eyes taking in the scene with surprising brightness and warmth. A pale, shining silver tabby she-cat laid contentedly near the edge of camp. Her physique looked like what some of her clanmates described PondClanners like, which lead her to believe the she-cat was of their descent, or maybe a PondClan cat herself. Two brown toms and a ginger tom were bustling around some rocks, which seemed to hold something of a fresh-kill pile, prey scattered about.

In the middle of it all stood a menacing, large sleek white tom, known none other than Hailmask, head held high as his blue eyes pierced the equally large, if not larger, plump she-cat that had a pelt the color of sunlight, a pelt littered with scars, tiny and large, and of varying freshness. Some looked as old as a tree, while others seemed to be from just today, gleaming a bright red and still bleeding even. She held herself with power and authority, more than Hailmask could ever dream of having. This was the cat that could kill Hailmask in one swipe. Behind the yellow she-cat stood a pale, mottled brown tabby she-cat who had two kits similar looking to her scrambling around her paws.

Hailmask was mewing something to the large she-cat, but Tansypaw felt too breath-taken to take in what he was saying.

Suddenly, without warning, something slipped in and brushed against Tansypaw. She jerked, pelt fluffying out, and threw her claws wildly at what touched her, but missing in her franticness, she stumbled back a bit, bumping into Oaktail who seemed to ignore her in favor of looking at the Hailmask and the large she-cat. Her light green eyes bulging as she realized the cat who had slipped in beside her was the silver apprentice. He gave her a timid smile, before his dark green gaze shifted to Hailmask and the rogues. His gaze seemed to be particularly on the she-cat in the cave. Tansypaw, mouth wide, blinked. Had he... had he followed them? When did he get here? How had Tansypaw not noticed him? Had Oaktail noticed him? Looking at Oaktail, who seemed either to not have noticed the tabby tom or had and was merely ignoring him, he was much more focused on the rogues, eyes narrowed dangerously.

Tansypaw settled down between the two toms, puzzlement running through her mind, and her heart beating like a hummingbird's wings.

This was all too much. She loved the adrenaline, but, there was a point where things seriously had to be questioned. She wished she hadn't left camp. She could have gone without ever seeing the large, scary, battle-scarred she-cat and Hailmask chatting so familiarly with her, and the fright the BrokenClan apprentice had just put her through. She was only a moon into her apprenticeship, for StarClan's sake! This was none of her business!

But she had gotten herself into it, so she supposed she was doing to have to deal with it, one way or another.

Her eyes flickered to Oaktail. Or she could let him deal with it. He was a well-respected warrior after all. He was much more qualified for something like this, in fact, he seemed quite familiar with it.

Hailmask seemed to finish up his report with the white-tipped tailed she-cat and gave a dip of his head that didn't seem to honest. He backed up and gave a sneer to the she-cat in the cave, who flattened her ears, the look of betrayal written clearly on her face. Was she a prisoner? A friend of Hailmask's?

Hailmask backed up, trotting over the fresh-kill pile and snatching a meek mouse from it. The ginger tom gave him a warm mew, while the two brown toms cast him darker looks, the one with a white splash on his chest looking more wary than aggressive. Hailmask turned around and began heading for the forest, the same direction as where the three cats where hidden. Tansypaw tensed up, and she could hear the soft breaths from the apprentice and Oaktail as if they were amplified, dragging across the whole clearing. But to Tansypaw's surprise and relief, Hailmask walked right past them. He must not have thought cats would follow him.

Oaktail began backing up, but Tansypaw stayed for a moment. She watched the yellow she-cat prowl over to a long-legged, lean light gray tabby tom with darker patches and flecks of white, snapping something to him. Ambition, hunger, greed, everything cold lurked proudly in his blue eyes. He eagerly took whatever she had said in and purred something back, a rasping sound.

Tansypaw began to leave, following Oaktail, quietly and stealthily. Her gaze flicked to the silver tabby tom. His eyes stayed on the she-cat in the caves, as they had always been. Their was disbelief in them. Did he know the she-cat? Tansypaw gave him a small nudge and he blinked, turning to her. Tansypaw jerked her head towards where Oaktail's brown form had disappeared, trying to silently tell the apprentice tom to leave. His dark green gaze returned to the she-cat, who seemed to perk up and catch his gaze with her own dark amber eyes. Warmth filled both of their gazes, but slowly, the silver tabby tom dropped his gaze and began moving back, eyes flickering back to the she-cat.

Tansypaw moved gingerly through the undergrowth, the silver tom on her tail.

Her mind was still processing everything.

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 **Finally! Some.. action? Drama? Some whatever! Opinion of this chapter? Of Tansypaw? And yes, Ferretpaw did trail Tansypaw and Oaktail after he dropped his rabbit off with his mentor. he's a quick kitty ;) also! Just realized that Longpaw and Ferretpaw both are taught by their kin! I forgot Frogfur was related to them, woops! Pulled a Briarstar, didn't I?**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	18. Chap16: Paws Where They Belong

**Fun Fact: The Main Series for A Tale of Seven (Plus One!) planned so far are The Way of the Apprentices [I've only planned three out of six books though, Winding Path (which should be winding pathS but im too far in), Raining Hail and Uncontrollable Chaos] and How Lightning Strikes, and the Super Editions/Short Stories planned are Missy's Tale, Frecklepaw's Mistake, Snailmask's Trail, Wolfstar's Demise, and Chelsey's Storm (working title). As much as I want to do something with SweetClan, the reign of Tinystar, or how MoonClan came to be, I feel as if I'd make too many mistakes since they'd be prequels and that kinda discourages me**

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 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 16**

Stretching out, Morningpaw gave a yawn. The clan had been buzzing with excitement. So much had happened in the past moon. A few sunrises after Prickle, Caramel and Gemstone had been taken into the clan, Harekit and Shiningkit, now Harepaw and Shiningpaw, had been made apprentices, under the mentorship of Sparrowfoot and Frostskip respectively. A half-moon ago, Sunnybelly had given birth to Pouncefur's kits, who was on the road to a steady recovery, though he'd always carry the limp with him. He had been allowed to amble around camp, and attend patrols if he was feeling up to it. Thankfully, he was an honest tom, and admitted he might slow a patrol down, so instead, he had been taking care of his kits and mate. The names of the kits had been given rather slowly. The sleek-furred mostly black tortoiseshell she-kit was the one who kept the clan up all night with her high-pitched squeaking and mewling. She was very demanding, and as such, had been given the name Blossomkit. The runt of the litter, a fuzzy, pale mostly gray tortoiseshell she-kit, had been alarmingly quiet, but she had found her voice a day ago, and had been blessed with the name Frondkit. The largest and loudest of the litter, a dark creamy tabby tom-kit with darker, reddish stripes had been appropriately given the name Rumblekit, though Lionkit and Tigerkit had been popular names thrown around by the clan, and jokingly, Loudkit. Then came the ginger-red tabby tom-kit who had a white underbelly. He had been named Thrushkit, but the simple reason for the name was due to the fact that Pouncefur had been eating a gray-feathered thrush right before the birth of the kits. Morningpaw had to give a hearty sigh at that. Hollyjaw had also moved into the nursery, with some persistence, expecting Feathernight's kits. They were due in about a moon and a half.

Prickle and Caramel had insisted on helping the clan to, well mainly Prickle, for allowing them to stay and for getting Gemstone back to health. Prickle had been going on border and hunting patrols while Caramel had been quietly assisting cats around camp and reinforcing the camp walls and dens. Gemstone had recently made a full recovery from her ratcough, and revealed herself to be quite rambunctious and energetic. She had quickly bonded with Pearpaw, much to Morningpaw's irritation, and the two had been chatting every day ever since.

"All cats old enough to hunt gather beneath Leader's Cliff for a clan meeting!" Sweetstar's authoritative voice rang out through the camp, bouncing off the trees. From the apprentices den slipped out a mostly black tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes, Pearpaw, and a pale brown tom with amber eyes, Harepaw. A pale gray tabby she-cat with equally amber eyes, Shiningpaw, had been training with her mentor Frostskip, a light gray tabby she-cat with icy-blue eyes, and the pair slipped closer to Leader's Cliff. Morningpaw himself found himself swept up with his clanmates as they stirred from their dens or from where they had sat previously. Caramel and Gemstone slinked out from the guest's den, which was beside the apprentices den. Prickle had been chatting with Sparrowfoot near the nursery, but swiftly dismissed himself, a warm spark in his dark blue eyes, as he sat beside his mate and daughter. Morningpaw found himself sitting beside his mentor, Weedshine, and Seedstorm, Cherrysnow on her brother's other side.

Sweetstar herself stood atop the leaning cliff they called Leader's Cliff. The fuzzy tortoiseshell she-cat had pale green eyes that dug into a cat's soul and revealed all of your secrets. Morningpaw had seen the other clan leaders at meetings, and while they might be bigger or more powerful, they couldn't hold the authority Sweetstar held, the sharpness, the keenness in her eyes, and the manipulatively sweet menace she held in her stance. Even though she was the only one with one life, due to her lack of belief in StarClan, she still held the most elegance. Her typical stance was sitting smally, tail curled across her paws that were neatly tucked together, eyes blankly staring ahead, but right now her head was raised proudly, chest puffed, front paws crossing and back legs wide, tail swaying gently behind her. Her eyes gleamed dully.

Morningpaw wondered what this clan meeting was about. Judging from her prideful stance, the glossy-furred black tom guessed it was something of the better nature. She looked like she had when she had apprenticed Harepaw and Shiningpaw.

Sweetstar cleared her throat. "Cats of MoonClan, today, I am proud to say that our numbers have greatly increased! With the birth of Sunnybelly's litter, the apprenticeship of Harepaw and Shiningpaw, and the news of Hollyjaw expecting kits, our clan thrives." Many cats murmured their agreement, ears and whiskers twitching happily. "As the gathering approaches, it seems MoonClan will have even more members." Confusion met her words for a moment, before it hit most of them: Prickle and his family. Judging by the pride in which Prickle held himself, eyes twinkling brighter than before, Morningpaw could only assume the tom that he and his family be allowed to join. They had adjusted to clanlife fairly well, and Morningpaw's clanmates seemed to like the oddball of a family. Sweetstar gazed across her clanmates as she continued. "I would like to thank Prickle and his family for helping MoonClan out. They have been generous."

Prickle ducked his blue-ish gray head embarrassed, licking his chest fur. "It was our honor. You helped my daughter."

A few cats let out purrs and chuckles and an arrogant Eelfall let out a cocky "your welcome!" Morningpaw couldn't help but roll his eyes. He and Weedshine had been the ones to help Gemstone.

Gemstone herself was looking particularly excited, eyes alight, as she realized what Sweetstar was getting at. She had missed Harepaw and Shiningpaw's ceremony, but Morningpaw had caught her talking to Pearpaw about how amazing the Howling had been- which Morningpaw had missed due to his medicine cat duties to the starstone- and how she wanted to be an apprentice and have her own Howling dedicated to her. To be honest, Morningpaw found it quite _egocentric_ of her, but he found himself realizing that every apprentice wanted to experience their own Howling. He had as well, and he had gotten his own, though he had to miss the half-moon trip for it.

Sweetstar swayed her tail as she continued, raising her head higher. "It is with great pleasure that I announce Prickle, Caramel and Gemstone as full warriors," she paused. "And apprentices of this clan." She raised a paw, letting her words sink in. A few cats gave out short praise and welcomes. "Prickle, please step forward." Prickle dipped his head, slinking among the clancats to stand under Leader's Cliff, Sweetstar's pale green eyes looking down at him. Pirckle offered a small smile. "Prickle, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, MoonClan, even at the cost of your life?"

Prickle puffed out his already spikey fur, looking like an eager apprentice as he lifted his head, eyes sparkling. "Yes, I do." His mew was firm and held the proudness of any newly made warrior.

Sweetstar blinked, and gave a slight dip of her head. "Then, by the power invested in me, I give you your warrior name. From this moment forward, you shall now be known as Pricklefur, in honor of both your prickly fur," there was a small chuckle at this, "and your eagerness to help and defend your new clan. We welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan."

Cats let out purrs, but held their chantings until the end of the meeting. Sweetstar leaped off of the Leader's Cliff majestically, raising her head above the newly named Pricklefur and laying it on top of his. For a moment, he hesitated, but Sweetstar whispered something in his ear, and he leaned forward, licking her shoulder. From beside Morningpaw, Seedstorm let out a happy purr, before turning to Cherrysnow to describe the scene to her.

Sweetstar lifted her head, before turning and jumping up the Leader's Cliff swiftly and effortlessly. She raised her head once more, silencing the clan as Prickle fur backed up into the crowd. "Caramel, step forward."

The thin-striped bright brown she-cat with a creamier, plump belly and warm, but emotionless, amber eyes, padded forward, pink collar jingling ever so slightly. She bowed her head down as she came to Leader's Cliff.

"Caramel, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even with your life?" Sweetstar recited.

Caramel merely blinked, and for a moment didn't say anything. But then, she whispered out, "Yes."

Sweetstar raised her head, eyes gazing to the cloudy sky, which darkened as the day went on, nearing dusk. "By the power invested in me, I give you your warrior name. From this moment forward, you shall be known as Creamstripe, in honor of your silent dedication and support to your family, and your love for those you care about. We welcome your loyalty to this clan as we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan." Sweetstar slipped down the cliff with ease, placing her chin on Creamstripe's head, who licked her shoulder in return without hesitance. Creamstripe backed up slowly as Sweetstar retreated back up the cliff. Pricklefur purred to his mates, wrapping a tail around her. The cats around them, Feathernight, Mothshine and Tornspots, gave the newly named warriors warm mews.

Sweetstar's gaze turned to the final cat, Gemstone, who looked like she was about to burst. "Gemstone, step forward." At those words, Gemstone jumped up and dashed forward, blue-ish gray fur fluffing out from her slender body. The young she-cat looked eagerly up at the MoonClan leader. "Gemstone, you are still young, at the age of eight moons, so it is accustomed for you to be apprenticed." Sweetstar stared into Gemstone's blue eyes, who smiled kindly back up at her. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name like your parents, you will be known as Stonepaw." Newly named Stonepaw lifted her head contentedly, happiness blazing in her eyes. Sweetstar continued. "Your mentor will be Tornspots. I hope he shall pass down all he knows to you."

The gray tom with darker patches and dark green eyes slipped out from the crowd, eyes proud as he looked at his new apprentice. The former SullenClan cat stood beside Stonepaw, who cast him an excited look.

Sweetstar looked at Tornspots. "Tornspots, you have shown you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your mentor taught you well, and you have shown excellent enthusiasm and resilience. I trust you will pass these traits onto young Stonepaw."

Tornspots gave a calm blink, and murmured an "I will." He turned to his apprentice, warmth flashing in his eyes. Stonepaw returned the warmness, tail wagging like a dog. Tornspots leaned forward, touching his gray nose to Stonepaw's black one.

The crowd of MoonClan cats irrupted into cheering. "Pricklefur! Creamstripe! Stonepaw!" The clan yowled, eager to announce the new clanmates to the world. Morningpaw found himself joining in, after Seedstorm had given a particularly loud yowl, that had made Cherrysnow and Weedshine flinch, and Hollyjaw, who had watched from the nursery, which was all the way across camp.

As the cheers died down, the clan split up, some moving to congratulate the new warriors and apprentice while others, namely Brambleflight and Hollyjaw, slipped off to their duties. Milkyfur, the white and light gray light blue-eyed sister of Sharpbranch, clan deputy, and Pearpaw's mentor, rushed forward to congratulate Creamstripe, who she seemed to have taken a liking too, even if the she-cat hadn't exactly been as eager to recuperate those feelings of friendship.

Morningpaw felt his smile fade as he watched Stonepaw get swarmed by Pearpaw, Harepaw and Shiningpaw. Harepaw and Shiningpaw were impatiently trying to get Stonepaw to let them show her around, even though she already knew camp, while Pearpaw looked at her _friend_ with warm eyes, purring and chuckling softly with her.

Morningpaw bitterly swarmed off to his mossy nest in the apprentice's den, sighing as he curled up. Three new nests in the den. At least MoonClan's numbers grew rapidly. Four kits, three apprentices, and two warriors.

Even though it was not quite night yet, Morningpaw found himself exhausted, and drifting off to sleep. The welcomed numbness it brought was welcomed, and as the darkness consumed himself, he was not that surprised to find himself here.

The familiar dark forest of his dreams.

As he hauled himself up and look around, a small smile on his face. The trees, rotting and with bark as dark as the sky on a bad night, welcomed him. The grass, tinted a red, swayed gently in his wake. A small breeze ruffled his fur today. He let out a calm breath. Water trickled in the distance.

What Morningpaw was surprised to find himself looking at, was a sleek, long-legged black she-cat with a white underbelly, paws and tail tip. Her pelt was littered with faint echoes of stars, and her blue eyes were as pale as the moon. Despite the stars, the beautiful, twinkling stars, her pelt darkened with shadows at the edges.

She blinked.

And then she ran forward, she curled around Morningpaw. The startled tom recoiled a bit, but she put her head over his back, and locked her white-tipped tail around his paws. Her silky purr vibrated Morningpaw's whole body.

"Your here! Your finally here!" The low, soft, feminine voice cried. Happiness was everything in her voice. Morningpaw was perplexed. Who was the she-cat? Why was she hugging him? Based on her sleek physique and starry appearance, Morningpaw could guess that she was a RushingClanner that had entered StarClan. But this.. wasn't StarClan, was it? This dark forest, his dreamland, wasn't StarClan? Why had no cat showed its starry face before then? More importantly, if this she-cat was of StarClan, why was he finally "here", could she not visit him otherwise? He was a medicine cat, and visited the starstone every half-moon. There should be no problem.

The she-cat let out a choked cry. "It took so long!"

Suddenly, it hit Morningpaw. This was the voice that he heard every time a dream ended. The cold warmth he felt wrap around him every time the dark forest started to fade. The presence he had felt. That was always there. The breath on his ear every time he felt the world rumble. This was _her._

But... who was she?

Morningpaw's eyes flickered to another cat he finally noticed. A pale golden tabby tom with ringed stripes, thick legs and strong, rippling muscles under his short fur. Unlike his starry companion, he was darkened with shadows completely. He was consumed by them, but even so, his golden pelt was still visible. He stared blankly ahead at the she-cat and Morningpaw, amber eyes dull and boring. But Morningpaw saw some kind of weird warmth in them. Not a familiarity, he had never seen those eyes before, but some sort of... Welcomeness. Like the kind that the clan had greeted Pricklefur, Creamstripe and Stonepaw with.

The she-cat managed to pull herself away from Morningpaw, who couldn't seem to find his breath. The action seemed to take great effort for her, and her eyes shimmered and her body shook. Morningpaw had never known someone so eager to meet him before. Sure, he was a medicine cat apprentice, and Seedstorm, Cherrysnow and Pearpaw where his friends, but he was practically a nobody. His siblings had died, one at birth, another to sickness and then the finally one had died to unknown causes. That one he remembered best. A brown tabby she-kit. But he didn't particularly care. They were probably off frolicking in StarClan, happy. He never really knew them, so he found it hard to be sad, not that he wouldn't mind meeting them. And his parents- well, he didn't really know. They had joined MoonClan, and then just died? He never really understood his clanmates when they told him about it. Apparently, one of them- the rogue father- had run off and died, and then his mother had been killed by giving birth? They didn't really know about his father, and never found his body. They assumed it was the same thing that killed the SpruceClan medicine cats that had killed his father.

Back from his thoughts, he took in the bigger she-cat that stood staring at him, bursting with happiness.

"You're really here," she whispered. "I'd never thought it'd happen. It took so long, way too long," she breathed, tail tip twitching. Morningpaw couldn't decided if he should cower or offer a polite smile, so he did both.

The black, starry-pelted she-cat seemed to pull herself together, holding her head up in an air that competed with Sweetstar. "Where are my manors? You must be so confused. It's just." She let out a hiccup-y breath, eyes flickering to the still tom beside her. "You were only a kit. All of you were." She cleared her throat and turned innocent, sparkling eyes to Morningpaw. "My son." It was those two words that made Morningpaw understand. These two cats, _these two cats_ , one of a darkening starry pelt, and the other of a pelt seeping with shadows, were his parents. Some how, these two cats had searched for him, lulled him into this forest, called out for him, and they finally found him. Now, Morningpaw could see the desperation in their eyes. The desperation of parents long separated from their kit. Their precious kit, and he was that kit.

Morningpaw felt a rush of warmth he had never felt before blow through him. It took a hold of his veins, and made his legs wobble. He traveled through him. He didn't... He didn't know how to react. This was... This dreamland... His parents had been so close for so long, and he hadn't know? He remembered Pearpaw's grief when her mother had died- she had never known him- and he remembered thinking he'd never feel that grief of losing a parent. He had never known them. But now? That chance presented itself to him like a thrush in a tree. He didn't know. What should he be feeling? Was this.. was this warmness the right emotion? He didn't know.

"I..." Morningpaw breathed out. The she-cat's tail twitched and she lifted her head, eager to hear his words. The tom stared on blankly. Morningpaw blinked his yellow eyes, trying to clear his conscious. "I... Why..." What should he ask? What _could_ he ask? "What are your names?" His clanmates had never told him, and if they did, he didn't remember.

The black she-cat's eyes shined. "Midnightmist," she announced proudly and softly. Morningpaw found himself wondering what a "midnight" was. He knew was a _night_ was, was midnight some kind of tell of the time? Or something of the night? A bird, perhaps? Midnightmist seemed to notice his confusion and smiled sweetly. "I'm of kittypet descent. I might have been a RushingClanner, but I'm a proud MoonClanner now. Or, well, was. Does death count as dissociation from your clan?" Their was humor in her depths. Morningpaw cracked a smile.

Midnightmist flicked her tail to the tom, Morningpaw's father, her mate. "This is your father, Dimfoot."

 _'Dimfoot,'_ Morningpaw recalled the name. Someone had mentioned him when he was just a kit.

Dimfoot dipped his head to his, to his _son_. Morningpaw felt himself spark up at that.

Midnightmist suddenly jerked her head, eyes studying him. "So, they named you Morningpaw?" She slipped forward, circling Morningpaw. Morningpaw felt himself shrinking. Was there something wrong with that? But a warmness entered her eyes. "Naming you after me, I suppose. Did they same for your father and Dimkit." Her eyes lit up. "Oh, yes! I'll be taking you to see your siblings one of these days. One of these dreams?" She pondered. Morningpaw felt his heart flutter. This was all so much. His whole family, they were all here? He couldn't believe it. What had he done to be so blessed? Many other cats deserved this. He was sure Pearpaw would love to see her mother and siblings again. His foster family.

Morningpaw let out a let gulp, but Midnightmist ignored it as she ran her tail lovingly along him, guiding him into the dark dream forest. Morningpaw hesitantly followed his mother into the forest, his father walking by his side.

"You know, it took you so long to get you here," Midnightmist rambled, a low purr flowing through her words, warmth and compassion, _love,_ running through her words. "Your connection to StarClan because of your medicine cat position made it particularly hard." Morningpaw flicked his ears. Had it? He hadn't meant it so. He just... Decided to become a medicine cat apprentice. Midnightmist let out a sigh as she continued. "But no matter, you're here now! We can be a family." She let out a soft purr. "Although, you'll be the only one alive. I don't believe I have any living kin in RushingClan." She padded through the forest, but suddenly, Morningpaw found himself catching scents of cats he hadn't scented before. One of them was very fresh. It smelled like rotten fish, like reeds, like... like... PondClan. Yes, like PondClan, but filthier. Dirtier. Older.

The cat that belonged to the scent showed itself quickly. The stroll that Morningpaw and his parents had been taking had been interupted by a narrow-eyes, apprentice-sized brown she-cat with zig-zagging tabby stripes. Shadows swarmed her pelt. The shadows covered the pelt of the snowy white tom that sat boredly nest to a tree, watching with bright icy-blue eyes as the she-cat fluffed out her fur at the sight off Morningpaw, approaching him him hostility and ignoring Dimfoot's warning growl and Midnightmist's annoyed look.

"You brought a _medicine cat_ here, _Midnightmist?_ " Her words held venom in them, and her claws, which seemed to be permanently stained with red, unsheathed themselves, digging into the ground below them. Her dark amber eyes flashed. Midnightmist curled her tail around Morningpaw and held her head up defiantly.

" _Yes,_ I did, _Nimblepaw_ ," Midnightmist huffed, clearly used to Nimblepaw's arrogance and sharpness, and wanting to have none of it. Midnightmist had a proudness in her gaze and she pulled Morningpaw closer to her. "He's my _son._ " She purred the word, and it sent more warmth running through Morningpaw.

Nimblepaw raised a brow, obviously unsatisfied. She snorted. "Like I care. He's a weakling." Her amber eyes bore into Morningpaw. Something blazed in her eyes, and she let out a long hiss. "He reminds me of Starlingpaw, the good for nothing!"

"I-" Morningpaw tried to say before being silenced as Nimblepaw glared at him with all the fury and wrath in the world.

"Don't speak of my son like that," Midnightmist hissed back at her, hair raising on her pelt and claws unsheathing. Morningpaw frantically looked between the two she-cats. Were they going to fight each other?! He stepped forward.

"Wait," Morningpaw started. "There's no need to fight."

" _There's no need to fight_ ," Nimblepaw mocked. She snorted again. "Oh, great _Tinystar_ , he really does sound like Starlingpaw!"

" _Speaking_ of Tinystar," Midnightmist growled out, blue eyes glaring. The stars in her pelt shifted. "Dimfoot here," Midnightmist gestured to Morningpaw's father. "Has a meeting with him and Puppyscar, so I suggest letting us pass."

Nimblepaw jerked back, as if suddenly realizing Dimfoot was there. The way her eyes blazed, Morningpaw knew she wanted to protest, but she backed off and retreated to the white tom's side, mumbling something under her breath. Midnightmist looked proud. Morningpaw let out a breath of relief.

"Sorry for that," Midnightmist apologized, before quickly padding out deeper into the forest, Morningpaw scrambling after her. He couldn't catch his breath, could he?

Suddenly, the world started rumbling, and he slipped on a leaf. He heard Nimblepaw snicker. He felt his stomach become a bottomless pit. Not now! The world shook, and darkness encased his vision. ' _No, no!_ ' His mind pleaded. But Midnightmist gave him that look of defeat.

"Oh, so soon?" She sighed. "Ah well, see you soon, my son. Take care."

The last he saw in the dream forest was her starry pelt and sad eyes, and then he awoke to a blue-ish gray face and a tortoiseshell face eagerly prodding him awake.

He let out a small sigh.

* * *

 **Conflict #2 arises! Opinion on this chapter? :) do you like Midnightmist and Dimfoot? What of Nimblepaw (that one PondClan chapter wasn't for nothing, ya know!) and Cloudpounce (white tom in background)? Do you like Morningpaw? I also wrote this chapter way too fast and at night and in one day woops**

 **take a drink everytime i type 'eager'**

 **Bonus Fact; Stonepaw was originally called Stormpaw, because I kept calling her that in my head**

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	19. Chap17: Many Things at Once

**Fun Fact: This story isn't about the seven clans only, but also of StarClan, of the gang, of rogues, of the Dark Forest, of loners, of kittypets and Jerome's parties and the crazy cat lady's cats, and everything beyond and to come, e.i. the Allies. I hope this story continues on to answer what I want answered. What was life like for every cat?**

 **NOTE : If anyone wants to create their own AU or one-shot of any of these characters or clans, go ahead! Use my allegiances to write your own story, just credit me!**

 **Me Rambling: going off the "its hard to write prequels", and using Spottedstem (the BrokenClan queen nursing Antkit, Cherrykit and I think it was Buzzardkit?) as an example, I tossed the idea of writing a super edition called Spottedstem's Curse (or Spottedstem's Suffocation) but I feel it'd be hard to write in an era where MoonClan was only a whisper among a few (perhaps even having Spottedstem being one of those cats who ended up not joining moonclan) and cats in the clan where in different positions. Something I do may mess up Oakpaw/tail and Foxpaw/skip's story, or not fit in with the SpruceClan medicine cats plotline or something else. Though, as i keep thinking on it, I thought I could have it with one chapter of Spottedstem as a kit, a few as an apprentice, and then skip to a timeline after SPOILERS reveals they are a traitor and all Spottedstem can think is "oh no i could have prevented that if only id follow my destiny", which might work. Also, this bit is spoilers: so stop reading, but basically, i know your still reading, so anyway, spotted here was supposed to be a, go away, a medicine cat, but she was like "lol no" but starclan's like "um, binch please" and keeps sending her visions (they don't come in handy until next book). also, fun fact that won't be touched upon until the epilogue of this book, starclan sends foxskip every single vision, past, present, future to try and redeem her but she doesn't freaaking care**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 17**

"Redkit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Redpaw. Your mentor will be Ravenshriek. Ravenshriek, you are ready to take on an apprentice, and I trust you will pass on your intelligence and patience to young Redpaw."

A sleek black she-cat with a white underbelly and pale blue eyes slinked forward, touching a pale pink nose to the excited yellow-eyed red tabby apprentice's own. The two backed up, sitting beside the other newly named apprentices and mentors. Rushpaw, timid white tom with light gray patches and dark blue eyes, sat twitchy tailed beside his new mentor, Curlflame, a stoic curly-furred creamy she-cat with bright green eyes. Rushpaw's eyes flickered to his white and red tabby mother, Redstorm, who watched her kit's apprentice ceremony with tired but warm eyes. Sootpaw, the energetic fluffy gray she-cat with darker flecks, spots and dark yellow eyes, had been apprenticed to Squirrelflame, a coquettish sharp-furred dark ginger tom with a darker stripe on his tail, a white tail tip and light amber eyes.

Lightpaw watched, happiness swelling in her chest, beside her sister and her sister's mentor. Berrypaw smiled at the new apprentices, but other than that, didn't show much interest. Prickletail, contrary to his apprentice, had a much warmer and kinder look on his features.

Redpaw's eyes sparkled as the clan began calling his and his littermates names.

"Sootpaw! Rushpaw! Redpaw!" The clan called out, Lightpaw's voice among them. Redpaw looked happiest at her yowls, Sootpaw looked like she might burst under all the excitement while Rushpaw shrank at all the attention.

As the yowls died out, Lightpaw rushed forward, headbutting Sootpaw, who squealed and hopped about excitedly.

"Apprenticed on the day of the gathering, huh?" Lightpaw smiled. Berrypaw slipped in beside Lightpaw, while Yellowpaw, the other apprentice, was nowhere to be seen. Berrypaw said nothing to the new apprentices, but looked at them with mild interest.

"I'm so excited!" Sootpaw stated, albeit repetitively. Redpaw feverishly nodded beside her, eyes bright and mouth hanging open a bit. Rushpaw stayed silent, twitching over to Berrypaw, the only other silent apprentice of the group.

Curlflame cleared her throat meaningfully from beside them. Her eyes gazed over the small gathering of apprentices. "As much as I love the communication and support, I'd appreciate it if you'd allow me to take my apprentice to see our territory."

Rushpaw scrambled over to her, and Berrypaw gave a respectful dip of her head to Curlflame. Lightpaw couldn't help but give a short snort. Curlflame gave her a glare but decided not to comment on the rudeness, instead leading her apprentice away. Ravenshriek, the young warrior, scrabbled after her.

"Come on, Redpaw, we're going with them," she said, tossing her head over her shoulder. Curlflame and Rushpaw hopped up the rocks, the entrance of camp, not waiting for Ravenshriek and Redpaw to catch up, though Rushpaw threw a worried glance back at his brother, and then a desperate look at his mother, who was chatting with her mate, Gravelflake.

"Talk to you later!" Redpaw chirped to Sootpaw, Lightpaw and Berrypaw, dashing off after his mentor. He paused beside Lightpaw, eyes flickering. "I-..." He shook his head. "Take care?" Whatever he meant to say originally, he scrapped, and left Lightpaw with the awkward words. Lightpaw flicked a light gray and white ear, watching Redpaw leave after his mentor.

Squirrelflame glanced at his own apprentice, the hyperactive Sootpaw. Sootpaw gazed right back at him, bouncing on her paw. "What do you get to do?" She asked excitedly.

Squirrelflame shook out his dark ginger coat. "You're going to get used to apprentice's duties."

Sootpaw frowned and twitched. "What? But I wanna explore the territory! Or, or, learn to track, or something exciting."

Squirrelflame gave a smile. "Is taking care of your elders not exciting enough?"

"No!" Sootpaw burst out, before embarrassingly licking her chest. "I mean, I respect my elders and all, but that's not _exciting_."

Squirrelflame chuckled. He brushed his tail along the grass. "Ah, well, it seems Quailbird's stories will have to be exciting enough for you today. Tomorrow, we explore clan territory."

Sootpaw fluffed out her gray fur and seemed to accept that answer. She slipped away from the Berrypaw and Lightpaw, chirping and chattering with her mentor, who followed her to the elder's den.

Berrypaw sent Lightpaw a quiet look before she retreated over to her mentor, Prickletail, the spikey-furred light gray tom with front white paws and sharp blue eyes. Lightpaw was left by herself and she let an annoyed sigh. Her eyes scanned the cats in camp. When she couldn't spot her mentor's creamy pelt, she looked for one of two brown cats, her brother, Adderleg, or her obvious love interest but not yet mate, Aspenflight. She located the slender brown tom with darker paws and yellow eyes, Aspenflight, and trudged over to him. Her mind flickered, hesitant.

 _'Aspenflight,'_ her mind whispered. _'The tom who gave you that mouse a moon ago, which led you to steal that squirrel from SpruceClan.'_

She shook off the thought. Aspenflight had nothing to do with her stealing that squirrel. She felt a shiver down her spine. It still felt so wrong, but she supposed Redkit- err, Red _paw_ 's smile had made it up.

Aspenflight turned to face the approaching light gray and white apprentice and tilted his head, curious as to why the she-cat who had been avoiding him lately was now approaching him. Lightpaw merely held a confident position, head held high, and eyes dark.

"Do you know where Rosesong is?" Lightpaw demanded, tone a bit harsher than she attended. Her white tail tip twitched.

Aspenflight flicked an ear, clearly not impressed with her rudeness. But, he and Rosesong both held a kindness and politeness, so he answered Lightpaw amiably. "I believe she's still sleeping in the warrior's den. Want me to fetch her?"

Lightpaw scrunched up her nose. Her mentor was still asleep? Had she not even awoken for Redpaw and his littermates' apprentice ceremony? Lightpaw let out an irritated sigh. "Alright. Whatever. Hurry up," she paused, then added, trying to be a little more polite, "please."

Aspenflight padded off, turning a little abruptly and roughly, heading for the large Andromeda bush that the warrior's den hid in. He dipped into the den, his brown coat disappearing into the den. Lightpaw waited patiently, albeit boredly. Her eyes gazed across camp. Berrypaw and Prickletail were discussing something, before they took off, leaping up the stones and bowing their head to Lightshade, who watched over camp, light blue eyes sharp and pale golden tabby pelt glowing in the sunlight. Sootpaw held bile in her mouth outside of the elder's den, face wrinkled, Squirrelflame giggling at her like a kit. Lightpaw felt contempt rise in her. Now that there were new apprentices, she wouldn't have to be on tic duty for the elders, not that she meant any disrespect to Quailbird, and Shortsong even, she just didn't like the taste of bile. Near the guest and prisoner's den in the corner of camp, Redstorm, Ripplebriar and Gravelflake were having a quiet conversation, though Lightpaw noticed her mother was looking a little scornfully at Gravelflake, and Redstorm looked disinterested in her mate and her mate's sister. Lightpaw glanced over at Dawnstar, who was leaving camp alone, probably for a quick solo hunt.

Lightpaw's eyes wandered to the nursery, where a sleek, long-tailed gray tabby she-cat with white paws and bright yellow eyes was guiding her brown kit. Shortsong, old, pale brown and stubby-tailed, watched the mother and son, dull, tired green eyes examining Bravekit as he took wobbly steps and sniffled his nose. The young tom-kit was thin, small and weak, and a cough rippled through his body, making him fall down. But he got back up, determined. His mother, Waspcloud, gently prodded him back up, mewing encouraging things to him. Bravekit was about two moons old now, but this was his first time walking outside of the nursery or medicine cat den. Bravekit took one step after another, paws fumbling over each other. His tail waved in the air, trying to hold his balance. His whiskers, barely visibly in the light, stretched out in front of him. Waspcloud stuck close to her kit. Bravekit tumbled, but caught himself with an out-stretched paw. Slowly he moved forward, touching Shortsong's leg with his forehead. He gave a squeal of happiness. Waspcloud purred loudly, enough to rumble the skies, and nuzzled her kit, showing Bravekit with affection. Shortsong gave a snort, and then murmured something to Waspcloud, to which she perked up.

Lightpaw felt a stab of bitterness. Ripplebriar never showed Lightpaw or Berrypaw any affection like Waspcloud did to Bravekit. But, she supposed, not every mother was the same. She just wished Ripplebriar had been kinder.

Waspcloud licked Bravekit on the forehead, messing up his fur. He let out a squeak. "Mom!" His shaky voice protested, the word slurring.

"I think you've made quite a lot of progress today, Bravekit!" Waspcloud praised warmly. "You can rest in the nursery now, Shortsong will give you some herbs later."

Bravekit shook his head, but then paused to let out a short cough. "No, no!" He squeaked out. "I wanna, I wanna!" Despite being two moons old, he was still learning to talk as well as walk. In protest, he began to stumble forward, before he crashed to the dusty ground. He let out a rougher cough. Waspcloud gave him another lick.

"I think that's enough," Waspcloud mewed. "You did well, my little ray of sunshine." She picked him up by the scruff, taking him into the nursery. Shortsong drifted off to the dug out hole of the medicine cat, slipping into it.

Lightpaw's attention was caught by Rosesong and Aspenflight approaching. She twitched an ear, disdained at how long it took for Aspenflight to get Rosesong, even though it wasn't actually that long. Lightpaw just wanted something to be mad at.

"Can we do something today? Before the gathering?" Lightpaw hissed lowly, tail twitching. Rosesong shook out her creamy pelt, blinking the tiredness from her eyes. Aspenflight frowned at Lightpaw, but said nothing.

"Of course," Rosesong murmured. "We'll be practicing hunting again down by Hare Hills."

Lightpaw felt a prick of irritation, whether at Rosesong or herself, she didn't know. They had been hunting everyday since a half-moon ago, and Lightpaw couldn't see any improvement in herself. She knew where to put her paws, it just seemed they never ended up _where_ she wanted them.

"Okay," Lightpaw said, conflicted. Why couldn't they do fighting practice once and awhile? Lightpaw would even take climbing training, and she didn't even like trees.

Rosesong turned tail and padded unenthusiastically to the entrance's rocks. She hopped up them, Aspenflight tailing her and Lightpaw slowly following, though Lightpaw noted she wavered on the rocks, as if she still wasn't quite awake yet. Lightpaw didn't think her mentor was a late riser, but she supposed Yellowpaw was also a late riser, and he was already out of camp.

Lightshade studied the three cats with light blue eyes, giving them a small nod. Aspenflight bowed his head in return to her, while Rosesong tiredly ignored her. Lightpaw, Rosesong and Aspenflight made haste towards Hare Hills, which was on the east side of RushingClan territory. Aspenflight and Rosesong brushed pelts as they walked, Aspenflight murmuring something in her ear, to which she had a sharp retort, which was unusual of Lightpaw's kind mentor.

Rosesong sat down the moment the reached the top of Hare Hills. The delicious, fresh scent of rabbits filled Lightpaw's nostrils, and she breathed in deeply. The rabbits were abundant today, hopping around, taking in the last of the green grass as leaf-fall began to fall in, unaware of the cat's just above them, hidden by the tall grass and calluna stalks and milkweeds. At least Lightpaw could hunt rabbits decently enough.

Aspenflight slinked in beside Lightpaw, ducking down in the grass, eyes narrowed and focused on the rabbits, but he made no move towards the naive rabbits. Rosesong blinked her weary eyes, crouching down and unfurling her tail from her paws.

Rosesong glanced at her apprentice. "You and Aspenflight go to the other hill and hide in the grass."

Lightpaw began seeping through the tall grass, crawling down the hill, making sure the rabbit's didn't get startled. Aspenflight hesitated, eyes flickering to Rosesong with concern, before he followed Lightpaw down the hill.

Lightpaw suppressed a snort. _'They should become mates already.'_

Lightpaw and Aspenflight stalked quietly through the grass, trying to make sure they didn't draw attention to themselves. Lightpaw concentrated on every pawstep, making sure no random twigs (even though their wasn't any trees around) or crinkly weeds where stepped on. Her heart was silent for now, yet she could hear it in her ears, as it was the only sound around. Lightpaw trailed after Aspenflight as he assumed a position on the other hill, hidden in tall grass and just above a rabbit den. Aspenflight's ears flicked above the grass, and after a long moment's hesitance, Rosesong burst forth from the grass, dashing down the hill and startling the rabbits.

They began stampeding, many running successfully away or stowing away in their dens. Two leaped in the direction of Lightpaw and Aspenflight, attempting to hide in the warren. Aspenflight launched himself forward, skillfully stopping the sleek black rabbit with his front paws wrapped around its beady-eyed head and his mouth, shining with fangs, trapped its neck. He snapped the neck quickly and turned to face the skinny, much smaller pale brown and white buck rabbit. He lashed a paw out at it and Lightpaw leaped forward to help him, slashing her claws across the frantic rabbit's face, warm blood trickling down its face. Aspenflight leaned his neck forward as it stumbled back, snapping his fangs onto its back and then shaking it rapidly. Lightpaw darted away, cutting off three rabbits. One dashed away, slipping into a den. Another hopped into the air and twisted away. Lightpaw pounced forward wrapping a paw around the last rabbit's back leg as it turned away. Lightpaw snapped her jaws, barely missing it. It wrestled out of her grasp and bounced away, tail in the air. Lightpaw felt desperation strangle her, tensing up her muscles. Her eyes went wide. She couldn't lose another piece of prey!

She leaped forward, chasing after her prey. Aspenflight cut it off, and, with a burst of speed, Lightpaw raced forward, barreling into the brown rabbit. It let out a startled squeal, and kicked wildly at Lightpaw's throat. Lightpaw grabbed its small neck with her mouth, sinking her fangs in and ignoring the stinging pain of the rabbit's frenzied kicks and claws. She laid a claw over its belly and dug in, giving it light gashes. The rabbit went limp under Lightpaw's bite, but still her heart beat on. She didn't let go of the rabbit until Aspenflight approached her.

Sudden exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she dropped the rabbit, chest heaving and she took in air. Her muscles were so tensed and stiff.

Aspenflight's whiskers twitched. "Why do you always get hurt when hunting?" He mused. "A sprained paw, a ripped claw, a twisted tail and now a scarred throat?"

Lightpaw tried to glance down at her neck, but realized it was fruitless since it was directly under her head. She rubbed a paw over where the rabbit kicked her. The wound weren't anything deep, barely letting out a trickle of blood, but they still stung.

Lightpaw's yellow eyes flickered to her catch. _Her_ catch. Pride swelled in her chest. She had caught something! Mostly out of pure luck, but she had caught something! Now, if only she could catch squirrels and mice and voles, maybe even birds! She felt like she was on top of the world. She gave a light skip, eyes brightening as a smile crossed her face.

Rosesong approached, dragging one of Aspenflight's rabbits with her. She blankly stared at Lightpaw before her eyes shimmered, taking in the rabbit at her apprentice's paws.

"Good catch!" She praised. Aspenflight also let out a murmur of congrats. Lightpaw raised her head, soaking in the compliment.

"We better take this back," Rosesong mumbled, whiskers twitching as she looked at the sky. The sun was still in sight, but RushingClan liked to get to the gathering early, even though they were right next to the Gathering Place.

Lightpaw happily picked up her fresh-kill, sauntering up and over the hills with it dangling from her mouth. Rosesong and Aspenflight follow with the other two rabbits. Lightpaw led the way back to camp, a hop in her walk, and her tail raised high.

Lightpaw practically pranced into camp. She dragged her rabbit down the rocks as she entered camp, eyes glowing as she watched Lightshade give her a pleased nod. Rosesong and Aspenflight followed her into camp, getting their rabbit's down the rocks with more ease than Lightpaw. They dragged them off into the fresh-kill pile, off in the corner of camp beside High Boulder and seated on long, torn blades of grass. Lightpaw, on the other paw, raised her fresh-kill in the air, basking as Redpaw and Rushpaw, who had presumably returned from exploring the territory, rushed up to question the rabbit, though Rushpaw was hesitant and quiet. Lightpaw assumed Sootpaw was off collecting moss for the elders since she couldn't see her anywhere in camp, or Squirrelflame for that matter.

Lightpaw eventually trotted over to the fresh-kill pile and placed down her rabbit in return for a plump squirrel. She, Redpaw and Rushpaw sat together, munching on the squirrel and chatting together as they waited for Dawnstar to appear and announce those going to the gathering. Though, it was mainly just Redpaw and Lightpaw talking and Rushpaw sitting in silence. They talked for what seemed like forever, before the sun started to set and the moonlight began to show, turning the sky a red and silver mix. Dawnstar appeared from the entrance of camp, leaping down with three mice in her mouth and padding over to the fresh-kill pile to deposit her catch. Immediately, she leaped to High Boulder and faced her clanmates, who had already gathered, excitement etching their paws.

"The gathering is tonight!" Dawnstar yowled for those who might be naively unaware. "Those I call must get ready to depart soon." She took a breath, preparing herself. "Lightshade, Shortsong, Quailbird." Those were the typical names called. Now, Dawnstar would call the warriors and apprentices. Lightpaw listened excitedly. Would her name be called? "Aspenflight, Adderleg, Prickletail, Ripplebriar, Redstorm, Yellowpaw and Lightpaw."

Lightpaw perked up. Yes! She was going. The gathering was always her favorite. She could sneer at the other, newer or just mouse-brained apprentices while also learning weaknesses of the other clans. New apprentices always slipped up, especially from MoonClan and SpruceClan. BrokenClanners and SullenClanners were more tight-jawed.

"Aw," Redpaw pouted, tail drooping. "I wish I was going."

Lightpaw gave something between a chuckle and a huff. "Did you really think Dawnstar would let apprentices who were made apprentices on the very day of this gathering go?"

Redpaw folded his ears back, glancing at the ground sheepishly. "I guess not, but I kind of hoped..."

Lightpaw butted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll tell you everything."

Redpaw brightened up. "Really?" He squeaked out, before covering his muzzle with his paw in embarrassment. "I mean, thank you."

"Redpaw!" Ravenshriek called out. Redpaw scrambled up and mumbled a sorry to Lightpaw before dashing off to his black-furred mentor. Lightpaw glanced at the silent Rushpaw, before she left to group up with the other cats going to the gathering.

"Where's Yellowpaw?" Lightshade called from her perch on her rock at the entrance.

Adderleg shuffled forward. "He must be down at SullenClan's border," her mumbled, raising his white leg up.

"And _why_ is he there?" Lightshade questioned with narrowed eyes.

Adderleg's tail twitched and his eyes flickered about. "Uh, well, he's got a habit of... trying to fish."

Lightshade wrinkled her nose. "Really? He isn't a PondClan cat." She gave a snort, and Lightpaw also couldn't help but agree. What did Yellowpaw think he was? An otter?

Adderleg ducked his head. "I'll go fetch him, real quick, you can even start going." And with that, he dismissed himself out of camp, taking wide strides as he took off to the river down at SullenClan's border.

The rest of the gathered cats talked among themselves, chattering like birds.

Lightpaw looked at Aspenflight as he leaned forward to give her mentor a lick on her head. Lightpaw felt surprise run through her. Were Rosesong and Aspenflight mates now? She wouldn't know, and she would feel awkward if she asked her mentor that, so Lightpaw supposed she'd have to wait for clan gossip to get back to her. Aspenflight returned to the gathered cats while Rosesong retreated to the warrior's den.

The cats chosen for the gathering began to depart, leaping up the rocks. Lightpaw was in the middle of the group, in front of Redstorm and Ripplebriar and behind Aspenflight and Prickletail. Lightpaw's pelt prickled with excitement.

True to his words, Adderleg caught up with the group, Yellowpaw, frowning, but behind him. The two RushingClanners slipped into the group, Adderleg making conversation with Aspenflight while Yellowpaw fell in beside Lightpaw. He looked like someone had made dirt in his fresh-kill.

"How'd fishing go?" Lightpaw jabbed. Yellowpaw lost his angered expression, blinking at her before glancing at his wet legs. He gave a scoff, flushing and turning his head away.

"None of your business!" He snapped, fur fluffing out and he sharply walked faster, lashing his darker cream-furred tail at her. Lightpaw scrunched up her nose, looking peculiarly at Yellowpaw. She felt a rush of irritation spark within in her, but brushed it off. She didn't have time for his off-standishness.

Now was the time of the gathering, and the excitement of it thrummed through her veins.

* * *

 **Night of the gathering! Are you excited? Did you like this chapter? What's your opinion of the cats in RushingClan? Favorite RushingClan cat?**

 **Bonus Fact: the rabbits at Hare Hills have domestic history from when two-legs let their rabbit pets out into the forest**

 **Double Fact: I think my clans would start the gathering a little earlier since their's more than four/five clans and they need to get through all of them while still having time to chat among eachother**

 **Mistakes: I keep calling Bravekit Brownkit, and I did in one of the chapters and couldn't edit it out ;(**

 **ALSO! Yellowpaw's design has changed a bit, in my WordPad allegiances's now has him as:** _ **dark creamy tabby tom with a darker, splotchy tail and pale yellow eyes (Son of Curlflame) (9 moons)**_

 **Leave a critique or review!**

 **-Lolling**


	20. Chap18: Gap in the Wall

**Fun Fact; While this arc was originally named because it followed an apprentice from each clan, I personally like to think it's called The Way of the Apprentices because of the sheer number of apprentices. Five in SpruceClan, three in BrokenClan, five in MoonClan, four in SullenClan, six in RushingClan, two in FallenClan, and one in PondClan! That's 26 in total! There's 159 clancats. That's 26/159, which is roughly 16%!**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 18**

Tansypaw's paws pricked with excitement. Soon, the cats chosen for the gathering would be leaving. Tansypaw was among those cats. Her first gathering! Ah! She was so _thrilled_! She would get to see Silverpelt shining in the open sky, moon glowing, hiding StarClan. She would see other clan apprentices and get to chat with them. She wondered what it was like in PondClan, or FallenClan. Swimming? Tunneling? She could never imagine doing those. She'd rather climb and chase squirrels. But, most important and awe-inspiring to her, she would see all the clan leaders, all _seven_ clan leaders, upon the giant bolder that sat in the middle of a body of water. She'd see the clearing that her ancestors fought so hardly over, only to end up using it for meetings of piece. The Gathering Place was neutral territory. No fighting must be held on it, be it under the full-moon truce or no moon at all. That's what the warrior code said, at least.

Tansypaw brushed up beside her snow-white sister, who's odd red, pink-rimmed eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Can you believe it? Our first gathering already!" Tansypaw purred, tail shaking at the thought.

Snowpaw fluffed out her pelt. "I can believe it," Snowpaw responded, tail kinked. "I've been waiting since I was six moons."

Tansypaw butted Snowpaw's shoulder gently. "I've been waiting since I was born!"

A sleek, short-legged pale golden tabby tom with a white patch on his chest and pale amber eyes joined Tansypaw and Snowpaw, slinking in beside them, though he only noticed them with a nod. His eyes gazed back to Rosepaw and Flintpaw. The pale creamy she-cat chatted lightly with her fuzzy black-pointed off-white brother, who frowned and then sulked away to the apprentice's den. Rosepaw called something after him, trying to lighten the upset tom's mood. He was upset over the simple fact that he hadn't been chosen for the gathering like the other apprentices. Rosepaw sighed and then joined Tansypaw, Snowpaw and Wasppaw.

Her whiskers twitched as she looked at how eager Tansypaw and Snowpaw were. "Excited for your first gathering, eh?"

"Of course!" Tansypaw replied cheerily. That's all she could feel!

Rosepaw gave a smirk. "Not even a tiny bit scared, or apprehensive?"

Tansypaw blinked while Snowpaw gave an exaggerated tilt of her head. "Why would we?"

Rosepaw's chest fur puffed out. "Why wouldn't you? All those other big, scary clan warriors, judging you, ready for a fight? Other apprentices thinking your weird or weak? The clan leaders, gazing out over the mass of cats, maybe locking eyes with you?"

Tansypaw felt herself shiver. Now that Rosepaw mentioned that, it _did_ sound a bit... unsettling. She curled her tail around her paws.

Snowpaw twitched her nose like a rabbit, defiance sparkling in her eyes. "You're just trying to scare us! We aren't kits anymore, you know. We're perfectly capable of standing next to so-called big, scary warriors. They're from other clans! They aren't _that_ mighty. They're just like us!"

Rosepaw gave a _mrrow_. "Why so defensive?" Rosepaw shook out her pale creamy pelt, dark green eyes flashing merrily. "Alright, you got me. I'm just making kit-tales. There's a lot of cats, but it's not so scary! It's not like anyone will really notice you anyway."

Tansypaw didn't know whether to be reassured or irked that the other clan cats she would meet at the gathering would just forget her. But then again, she didn't think she'd be remembering any PondClan or SullenClan cats. They were all the way over _there_ , after all. She would never have to negotiate with or fight them. She really only had to worry about FallenClan and RushingClan and the occasional MoonClan cat.

 _'And Hailmask and his association with the rogues,'_ Tansypaw thought, throwing a look at the white-furred deputy, who was walking among his clanmates, organizing the gathering patrol. Because of yesterday, she didn't know how to think of him. Was he working with the rogues? Or trying to manipulate information out of them? Maybe he was in a forbidden romance with one of them? Were the kits she saw with mottled brown she-cat his? Or, most unlikely, were Chelsey's gang blackmailing him into working for them? He was such a powerful tom, surely he wouldn't be blackmailed? Or... that yellow she-cat had been _very_ large and very scarred. Maybe she could scare even Hailmask into submission.

Although, this was just wishful thinking. Hailmask could just be a traitor. He did have the ambition, boldness and bad-temper that would make him suspicious, but what would be his motivation? He was already deputy, wasn't that enough? Did he have some dark past, perhaps? Some vengeance against the clans?

Tansypaw blinked away the thoughts as Rosepaw opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by Ryestar's yowl.

"All cats going to the gathering, we are departing!"

Rosepaw gave Tansypaw a smile and Snowpaw a nudge, and then Wasppaw a flirtatious tail flick, to which he ignored and walked away. Rosepaw went off in search of her brown tabby mentor.

Tansypaw prepared herself to leave camp, mentally and physically.

She scanned the crowd as cats began to slip out of camp. Who was going? She couldn't recall who Ryestar had named. The apprentices excluding Flintpaw, of course. And then the mentors: Leafthroat, Birchtalon, Oaktail and Amberfrost. Ryestar, Hailmask and Foxskip where also obvious. Her eyes caught on a red-brown pelt. Antwhisker padded beside the light gray and white Amberfrost, and Amberfrost gave a purr and a flirty response to something he said. Former loner Smokespark also walked with the group of cats, as well as the white-pawed black respectful tom called Tallhawk, who was nearing his elder days, though he probably wouldn't retire for another season or so. The clan elder, a black and white she-cat with yellow eyes by the name of Flowerskip, trailed at the back of the cats.

Snowpaw began to pad after the leaving cats, and Tansypaw scrambled after her sister, a bounce in her step. As they passed through the well-defended entrance of SpruceClan's camp, Tansypaw sent a glance back at the thicket-walled camp. Her tail quivered and her whiskers wavered and her paws touched the ground hesitantly.

This would be the first time she left clan territory. She hadn't even crossed into BrokenClan territory. She wouldn't pass through another clan's territory though, because the Gathering Place was right on SpruceClan's borders.

As the patrol got further along, they suddenly stopped, though no cat seemed really concerned except for Tansypaw, and Birchtalon as he fumbled over a some roots, landing on some rotting leaves, crinkling them under his weight.

Tansypaw waited in the leaf-fall chill, looking for what they stopped. Suddenly, a stench entered her nostrils, and out from the undergrowth burst many cats.

Tansypaw's fur bristled, startled, before she realized they were BrokenClan cats, and she let her fur lie flat. Her eyes caught on a familiar large-eared silver tabby tom with dark green eyes. The apprentice tom who kept popping up wherever she went. He was walking beside a more feminine, long-tailed dark silver tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes and a small, curly-furred light gray and white patched tom with yellow-rimmed amber eyes.

The dark silver she-cat and the curly-furred tom went one way, the she-cat snapping something at the smaller tom before giving a sharp laugh. The silver tom blinked and began following the two, who were perhaps his siblings or fellow apprentices.

Tansypaw suddenly found herself bounding towards him, stopping him in his tracks as he tried to rejoin his clanmates. He turned around to stare at her.

Tansypaw pricked her ears. "it's you!"

"..." He hesitated. "Yeah, it's me?" He twitched an ear.

Tansypaw swallowed nervously. "I mean, your the tom who was with me and Oaktail when we were spying on Hailmask." She whispered the last part, worried her clanmates or a BrokenClanner may over hear.

He blinked his dark green eyes. "Hailmask? I didn't even notice he was there. I was more focused on R-... the she-cat in the cave. I don't suppose you know her?"

Tansypaw gave him a blink in return. "Uh, no, not that I know of." She cleared her throat. "Why were you even there?"

He rolled his shoulders and leaned back. "It was suspicious? You know, you don't just see two SpruceClan cats roaming _outside_ of BrokenClan territory and heading straight towards Chelsey's territory."

"I suppose," Tansypaw murmured, but she turned a stony gaze to him. "So, what's your name, mister stalker cat?"

He twitched his whiskers. "That's a new one. And the name's Ferretpaw," he answered. "Your Tansypaw right?"

Tansypaw gave a startled blink, and twitched her tail. "Yeah, how'd you know that?" Was he an actual stalker?

He gave a short, breathy laugh, and replied, "I heard Oaktail call you that once."

Tansypaw opened her maw to reply, but was cut off.

"Tansypaw! Ferretpaw! Come on," a voice, Leafthroat, Tansypaw realized, called out. The pale brown tabby tom flicked his tail. "You're gonna get left behind."

Tansypaw ducked her head in embarrassment but Ferretpaw just trotted off, catching up with the other SpruceClan and BrokenClan cats. Tansypaw dashed to catch up with her clanmates, slipping in beside Snowpaw and Rosepaw. On Tansypaw's right, Rosepaw was chatting loudly with a boney gray BrokenClan tom with black patches. On Tansypaw's left, Snowpaw stayed silent, gazing out into the world.

Tansypaw looked at the unfamiliar BrokenClan cats. She knew the names, but she couldn't put any names to any of the cats. A large, skinny, scarred bright brown tabby tom walked beside the smaller silky-furred white and black patched SpruceClan leader, Ryestar. Tansypaw assumed he was Copperstar, leader of BrokenClan. The way he held himself, head held high and eyes sharp, muscles rippling, gave the appearance of someone of power as well.

Tansypaw had never seen a talked to a BrokenClan patrol, because the SpruceClan-BrokenClan border was marked irregularly. She had seen a few other BrokenClan cats, a pale off-brown tom, a gray speckled tabby she-cat and a large pale creamy tom. She never caught their names, though.

Ferretpaw began to fall back from where he stood beside his fellow BrokenClan apprentices. Tansypaw raced forward to meet him, walking beside him. He didn't even glance at her or twitch a whisker. Tansypaw opened her mouth to say something before realizing she had nothing to say. She closed her mouth and frowned. Should she converse with him like he was just another apprentice? But he wasn't, was he? They had... "bonded" by following Hailmask, hadn't they? Would they be considered friends?

Her eyes flickered to the other BrokenClan cats. If she wan't to be friends with him, maybe she could start with that?

"So, how's life in BrokenClan?" Tansypaw asked. Ferretpaw didn't turn his head to look at her, but he responded anyway.

"Simple, similar to SpruceClan, I'd assume. Minus the trees," he said.

They feel into a silence, one that was awkward on Tansypaw's part.

"...How's training?" Tansypaw attempted.

Ferretpaw flicked an ear. "Well, there's not much left for me to learn, in my opinion. Just polishing my moves. I'm only two moons into training, but still." He lifted his head, gazing out into the crowd of SpruceClan and BrokenClan cats. "My mentor, Frogfur, he's alright, I guess. Though, I'd rather have Fidgetpaw's mentor."

Tansypaw's brow furrowed. Who were those cats? She believed Frogfur might be the cat she saw with Ferretpaw on her first day of apprenticeship, but she had no idea who Fidgetpaw or their mentor was. Which of the other BrokenClan apprentices she saw was Fidgetpaw? The silver she-cat or the light gray and white tom? The tom looked more fidgety, if that counted for anything.

Ferretpaw seemed to notice her puzzled expression, or just sensed the hesitance in her.

"You don't know any BrokenClan cats, do you?" Ferretpaw observed, whiskers twitching in amusement, or maybe irritation. Who knows. "Did your mentor not teach you anything? You're mentor is Leafthroat right?" Ferretpaw didn't wait for Tansypaw to answer. "I saw him with you a moon ago. He's a respectable cat. Not my taste in mentor, though."

Tansypaw gave a meek nod.

Ferretpaw glanced at her for the first time in this conversation. "Well, then, I guess I'll introduce you to my clanmates." He nodded towards the two apprentices in a few pawsteps in front of him. "The silver one is my sister, Longpaw, and the other one is Fidgetpaw. He's my foster sibling." He flicked his tail to a pale spotted creamy she-cat who was talking to Tallhawk. "That's Olivebranch, my grandmother. And there's a gray tom somewhere in this crowd. Heavycloud, he's my grandfather." He jerked his head over his shoulder, dark green gaze landing on the tom Rosepaw was talking to. "That's Newtskip." Ferretpaw looked around for a moment, then pointed to a scrawny scarred white tom with gray points. "He's Chillywind, our clan elder." Chillywind was chatting raspily with Flowerskip.

Ferretpaw raised his head. "That's it. Well, besides Copperstar, Wishwing, Sniffnose and Leaftail. But I'm sure you'll know who they are soon."

Tansypaw recognized the names as the leader, deputy and medicine cats of BrokenClan. She gave another nod of understanding.

Tansypaw eyes' caught on the wall of SpruceClan's border. Made of thickets and brambles and enforced with thorns and sharp twigs, she was still in awe of it. They passed through a gap in the way, letting three cats pass at a time. This was the border to the Gathering Place. Tansypaw's whiskers quivered for what seemed like the 50th time today.

Soon, she, Ferretpaw and Rosepaw all crossed through the gap in the wall, and Tansypaw couldn't stop the tremble in her paws. She was here, she was finally here! Her light green eyes glimmered and shined and shimmered, glowing in happiness, in excitement, in... in... Everything!

The Gathering Place wasn't as huge and grand as she imagined, but that didn't make it any less spectacular. The space had been cleared out, yellow grass stamped on from years of paws. Trees of many shapes and sizes, colliding from the territories around it, rimmed the Gathering Place. Closest to RushingClan territory, the large boulder sat in a pool of water that swam around it. The water span's distance from the boulder to the grass was about a cat wide, so you'd have to leap across it. To the right side of the boulder sat the deputies, or, well, that's where the deputies would sit. For now, the deputies mingled with their clanmates in the clearing. At the front of the boulder sat the medicine cats, who talked among each other, exchanging information. At the top of the boulders, where it flattened, just enough space for 8-9 cats and no more, would sit the leaders. For now, only one cat sat atop the boulder. A fluffy, short-legged, small golden tabby she-cat with a white patch on her chest and bright amber eyes. If Tansypaw recalled, the only golden leader was Dawnstar of RushingClan.

Two other clans seemed to be at the gathering already besides SpruceClan and BrokenClan. RushingClan, which Tansypaw could tell by smell and their thin, sleek frames. The other clan was unfamiliar to Tansypaw. Judging by the scent of light water and a strong, heavy musk of mud, but also of thrushes and various other birds, Tansypaw guessed they were PondClan or SullenClan. They weren't too plump, weren't overly "peaceful" looking, didn't smell like fish, nor did they seem jumpy, so Tansypaw was leaning more towards SullenClan.

Tansypaw froze at the sight of so many cats. And this was only four clans? With seven clans in total, their must be more than a hundred cats! How could any cat remember all of their names, plus any that may have joined StarClan already? Tansypaw supposed one would only remember their clanmates, and the cats in the clans that bordered around them. If Tansypaw remembered correctly, that would mean FallenClan would have the most cats to remember, bordering SullenClan, PondClan, BrokenClan and SpruceClan. And MoonClan probably wanted to remember every clancat too, being the way they were.

Rosepaw brushed her pale creamy pelt against Tansypaw's pale mostly gray tortoiseshell one. Snowpaw was at Rosepaw's tail. The other apprentices, Wasppaw, Ferretpaw, Longpaw and Fidgetpaw, had disappeared, lost in the crowd of cats.

"I guess since you're new to this all, I better guide you around," Rosepaw pronounced in a joking tone, raising her head in a boasting way. "We're gonna meet the other apprentices-"

"It's not like there's anything else to do," Snowpaw snorted, flicking her fluffy white ears. Rosepaw rolled her eyes.

"Whatever," she cleared her throat. "Anyway!" Her eyes gazed out into the splashing colors of cats. "SullenClan's here, so I hope Sorrelpaw's here. She's really cool! I think you guys will like her. Come on!" Rosepaw strutted quickly off, and Tansypaw didn't hesitate to follow her. Snowpaw padded beside her sister, pink eyes focused. Rosepaw weaved her way through cats, and Tansypaw gingerly did the same, but was much more self-conscious, trying not to run into any cat.

Rosepaw took a sharp turn, approaching a blossom tree, it's pretty pink leaves fallen to the ground, covering it like water in a river, that had a gathering of cats in front of it, sitting on the soft pink leaves.

Tansypaw's ears pricked. They must be the other apprentices of RushingClan and SullenClan. Wasppaw and the BrokenClan apprentices had already gathered beside them. Rosepaw slipped in beside Wasppaw and a long-haired dark black tabby tom with black tabby stripes and dark amber eyes. Tansypaw and Snowpaw filled in a gap in the circle. Tansypaw found herself sitting beside an uninterested light gray she-cat with white patches and yellow eyes with a sneer on her face. The light gray she-cat's eyes flickered to Tansypaw, and Tansypaw saw her tense up, fur raising on her shoulders, before she looked away. On the other side on the she-cat sat a scowling dark creamy tabby tom with a darker, splotchy tail and pale yellow eyes. Beside him sat a round light off-gray tabby she-cat with a creamier belly and pale yellow eyes. The tom's tail kept twitching, as if wanting to do something. The she-cat was silent, eyes twinkling.

"SpruceClan's got new apprentices already?" The black tom growled, looking none too pleased. He lashed his tail, dark amber eyes narrowed.

"Oh, shush, Darkpaw, it's not like your ever going to meet a SpruceClan battle patrol on your borders, there's no need to worry," Rosepaw huffed right back at him, flicking the tip of her tail. Darkpaw scrunched up his nose and looked in disdain at her.

"Care to introduce us to them?" Longpaw said, whiskers twitching. Fidgetpaw crouched beside her, yellow-rimmed amber eyes wide and aqueous. Ferretpaw was on Fidgetpaw's other side.

Rosepaw straightened out her back, shuffling her paws. "Of course!" She flicked her tail at Snowpaw. "That's Snowpaw, and the tortoiseshell is Tansypaw. They've been apprentices for a moon." Rosepaw nodded to the dark tom beside her. "In order, this is Darkpaw, Longpaw, Fidgetpaw, Ferretpaw, big space, you two, Lightpaw, Yellowpaw, Fennelpaw, of course you know Wasppaw and me!" She breathed out, and then fluffed out her fur.

Tansypaw felt her eyes go wide. There were only four clans here, yet so many apprentices already!

Rosepaw's eyes sparkled. "Not a very talkative bunch today." She looked to Darkpaw. "Is Sorrelpaw not here today?"

He glared at her. "No."

Rosepaw rolled her shoulders, a satisfying pop resounding from them. "Ah well, maybe Pearpaw will be here. She can at least hold a conversation.

"Are you saying we can't hold conversations?" Lightpaw jeered, sneering. Tansypaw curled her tail around her paws, looking at them. Rosepaw was right. This group of apprentices were so aggressive or just way too silent! Lightpaw and Yellowpaw, apprentices of RushingClan, had permanent scowls on their faces, and Darkpaw was just glaring all the time. Longpaw, while she seemed friendly enough, did seem a bit scary, or at least tougher than the cowering curly-furred tom beside her.

"That's what I said!" Rosepaw chuckled. Lightpaw frowned and lashed her tail.

"Well, if you want a conversation, how are things in SpruceClan, all mighty?" Longpaw asked, ears twitching.

"Wouldn't you know, as a BrokenClanner?" Lightpaw sneered. Longpaw's ringed silver tail bristled.

"As a RushingClanner, do you know when to shut your mouth?!" Longpaw snarled, unsheathing her claws and digging them into the hard ground and the pink leaves atop them.

Lightpaw's fur spiked and she stood up swiftly. Yellowpaw's fur also raised and he glared at the dark silver she-cat. Longpaw flattened her ears and hissed.

"Hey, hey! Woah! No need to fight!" Rosepaw hopped up, jumping forward, between Lightpaw and Longpaw. "We are on neutral grounds! It's against the warrior code."

Something flashed through Lightpaw's yellow eyes and her legs twitched. Slowly, she sat back down, white-tipped tail curling over her paws. Longpaw lashed her tail, ears still flattened, and dropped down quickly, sitting on her rump. Fidgetpaw's eyes glistened as he stared fearfully at Lightpaw, before scooting closer to Longpaw. Ferretpaw pelt was bristled in defense of his clanmate and sister, but his eyes betrayed his boredom.

Distant rustling suddenly hit Tansypaw's ears. She perked up, raising her head up over the crowd of mingling cats (although she did note the tension between SpruceClan and RushingClan). Out from the trees burst many cats, of many sizes and builds, different from every clan. Some looked more muscular, others more sleek with wind-flattened fur, and some had long-hair and plump bodies, some had short-hair and fuzzy tufts of fur. They looked like you chose and picked attributes from the other clans and meshed them together. They held their heads and tails high, pride gleaming in all of their eyes.

A strong sweet scent wafted over Tansypaw, even from this distant. So sweet, so fragrant, so pleasant... Tansypaw could see where the old SweetClan got its name. The flower-y scent and the varied cats gave away that these where MoonClan cats.

Some clans, like RushingClan, tensed up, while others accepted the presence of MoonClan. The MoonClan cats began to disperse into the crowd. Three young cats began to approach the group of apprentices, before one of them, the solid black one murmured something to the pale gray tabby she-cat and the pale brown and white tom, and then the back tom left the younger cats in favor of going towards the medicine cats gathered next to the water.

The pale brown and white tom approached both with hesitance and with a spring in his step. The pale gray tabby bowed her head to the other apprentices with a shy smile.

Rosepaw turned to greet them. "Hello! Seems SpruceClan's not the only one with new apprentices." She raised her pale creamy head. "I'm Rosepaw! Whom are you?"

The pale brown and white tom dipped his head, slipping in beside Snowpaw, his fellow apprentice by his side.

"I'm Harepaw, and this is my sister, Shiningpaw," Harepaw informed, white tail tip twitching.

Rosepaw quickly went into introducing everyone, and Tansypaw gave them a small timid smile when she was introduced.

"Hello!" Harepaw purred, amber eyes shining to each cat in return. He seemed very friendly. He bounced lightly on his paws, shifting his weight around. "How are things in your clan? Catch any fish?" His whiskers twitched.

"We're not PondClan," Snowpaw sniffed, fluffy tail swaying.

"Aw, so you haven't tried?" Harepaw joked, eyes bright and open.

"Yellowpaw has," Lightpaw threw out. Yellowpaw flattened his ears, glaring at Lightpaw. Fennelpaw fidgeted silently beside him.

Harepaw tilted his head. "Is that why his tail's darker than the rest of him?" Shiningpaw chuckled from beside her brother, paw over her mouth, covering her wide smile.

Yellowpaw fluffed up, tail springing straight up as he glared like the sun at Harepaw.

Tansypaw stifled a giggle and Rosepaw began rolling in laughter. Longpaw and Fidgetpaw engaged in small conversation, whispering about something while keeping their eyes on Yellowpaw and Harepaw. Wasppaw gave a twitchty smile.

Snowpaw gave a lively huff. "His tail's darker because he keeps trying to use it to fish like the two-legs!"

Yellowpaw let out an indignant squeak. "I bet you've never seen a two-leg in your life! You can't compare anything!"

Cats began laughing and chuckling at him and he just sneered at them all. Tansypaw flicked her ears, delighted. The gathering was everything she expected, and more! Talking to the other apprentices, she felt like this was all she needed. Be it bad-tempered Darkpaw or silent Fennelpaw, Tansypaw felt like this was why she was in the clans. For the joy, for the laughs, for the conversations. _This_ , this was all her world would ever need. Her sister by her side. Things would never change. She was born in a time of piece. Not even Hailmask or the rogues could stir up enough trouble to disrupt her. She was on top of the world, higher than StarClan.

There were no gaps in her world.

* * *

 **Anyone else Rosepaw for president? - Opinion of the apprentices, namely Snowpaw? We haven't seen much of here**

 **Allegiances** **updated: Harepaw-** ** _pale brown and white tom with amber eyes (son of Mothshine and Tornspots, brother of Shiningpaw) (6 moons)_**

 **Leave a critique or review! (please)**

 **-Lolling**


	21. Chap19: Frustration and Dissociation

_**Eternal Heart: Thank you!**_

 **Fun Fact; "A Tale of Seven" probably wasn't a good title for my warrior cats series, because the number of main cats/clans changes quit often. Depending on what timeline i set my story in, it could be A Tale of Seven (Plus One!) or A Tale of Seven (Minus One)  
**

* * *

 **A Tale of Seven: The Way of the Apprentices: Winding Path**

 **Chapter 19**

Puddlepaw shook his white paw, droplets of water sprinkling on to the grassy ground. Puddlepaw swallowed, glancing nervously and fearfully around the muddy territory of SullenClan. Due to the full moon truce, they were allowed to cross on the borders of FallenClan and SullenClan to get to the Gathering Place, but that didn't stop the unease from rippling through him. PondClan, like usual, would be a bit late, due to both the fact that they were farthest from the Gathering Place, and that, today, they got held up by Willowchill's newborn kits. The kits were still too young to wander, or even open their eyes, but there were _five_ of them, and PondClan had not been prepared for that or their early birth. PondClan had to double patrols to make sure they had enough prey to feed the new addition's mother. Willowchill was exhausted often, taking care of the five kits, and had rarely left the den in the past five days. And of course, as the only apprentice, Puddlepaw was stuck running around, dead on his paws, fetching prey and wet moss for her. Not that he didn't mind.

...Then again, it irked him greatly that _he_ had been stuck as an only apprentice, and then _five_ kits just popped into the clan, and by the time they would be apprentices, he would be a warrior.

But, he shook the thoughts off, following his clanmates as they made their way to the Gathering Place. They had to cross over the river dividing RushingClan and SullenClan territory, but they crossed it with ease, swimming like otters through the shimmering water. Speaking of water, one of the kits had been named Waterkit, because of her bright blue-gray tabby markings that looked like clear water. Puddlepaw found it a funny name. One would think Willowchill and Ivyblaze would have more creativity left for their last born, and given her a name like Clearkit, Streamkit or Riverkit, but no, they'd given their other four unique names and left the youngest with one of the simplest names ever.

Puddlepaw shook out his light brown and white fur, licking his cold paws. He stepped in beside Benjamin and Duskspirit. Duskspirit, a dark gray tabby tom with dark yellow eyes, was talking energetically to Sedgeheart, a larger, muscular long-haired dark gray tabby with a lighter underbelly and light, night sky-blue eyes. Sedgeheart nodded calmly, pretending to listen to his former apprentice.

Puddlepaw's eyes gazed over the eight, excluding himself, cats that were going to the gathering. He felt a lump in his throat. PondClan was few in numbers. He had seen fifteen cats going to a gathering from SpruceClan once. Nine cats was nothing compared to that. Once, PondClan had only taken five cats.

The cat's going to the gathering were Lizardstar, Mallowtooth, Heronburr, Puddlepaw, Benjamin, Duskspirit, Sedgeheart, Mockingjaypelt and Podberry. Only three warriors. And Lizardstar... Casting the broad-shouldered, ragged-furred dark off-ginger brownish tabby she-cat with dark amber eyes a worried look... She wasn't looking too good. The way she walked was more like a wobble, as she was off-put by her recently gained weight. The she-cat had a habit of eating irregularly. Sometimes, she would eat like there was no tomorrow. Other times, she wouldn't eat for a quarter-moon. Right now, she was in her "eat everything" mood. But even so, she was still sick as well, not just eating too much. A patch of snot had dried under her dark nose and her eyes had crust, and her breathing was raspy from coughing all night.

"You seemed concerned," Benjamin's wise voice cut in, his bulky form dripping with water.

Puddlepaw dipped his head. "Of course! Um," he lowered his voice. "Lizardstar... She's, uh..."

"Not doing well," Benjamin finished, waving his black and white tail. "That much is obvious to every cat, every clan."

Puddlepaw's brown fur pricked. "Exactly," he murmured a bit loudly. "What if they other clans decide to attack us? I've, uh, never been in a fight before... Most, um, PondClan cats haven't."

"Mm, a fault in our system," he lifted his head high. "But, SullenClan, and even RushingClan and FallenClan, let us walk through their territory. They have no concern for us. Being seen as 'weak' or 'peaceful' has its perks. No one believes us to be a threat, and so, they ignore us. They know we won't steal from them, so they don't steal from us."

Even though Puddlepaw agreed, it didn't rest his worries. How could the clans not care? What if PondClan was on the brink of destruction, would they not do anything? Puddlepaw felt a shiver down his spine.

Puddlepaw leaped over a thin log, taking after Benjamin as the large tom padded threw the open fields of RushingClan's border. PondClan walked silently among the moors, heading swiftly towards the Gathering Place. Puddlepaw's tail fluffed up like a porcupine as they approached the large trees of the Gathering Place. Mallowtooth, followed by Lizardstar, entered the trees first, slithering through the dry grass and dark trees. Heronburr, then Podberry and Mockingjaypelt, then Duskspirit and Sedgeheart, then Benjamin, and, finally, it was Puddlepaw's turn to enter the forest. His pelt shivered. So many cats would be waiting, and they would be judging. Maybe they would just be judging Puddlepaw, or they would be judging Lizardstar and her unwellness, and how it represented PondClan.

Puddlepaw followed his clanmates into the Gathering Place. It swarmed with cats of every clan, from MoonClan to FallenClan. BrokenClan and SpruceClan cats talked together in packs, giggling and chatting as if they were clanmates. FallenClan cats glared at the BrokenClanners, and SullenClan exchanged hellos with MoonClan, while also getting sneers from RushingClan. His clanmates began to cluster around SullenClan, FallenClan and SpruceClan.

Puddlepaw swerved around two cats who chased each other. One smelled of the sweet scent of MoonClan and the other the dusty, rigidness of FallenClan. Puddlepaw timidly took a few steps away from the other cats, and his eyes sought out the blossoming tree that the apprentices clustered around. He didn't go there often- It felt awkward being the only PondClan apprentice every time... And the apprentices like Sorrelpaw, Pearpaw and Rosepaw were much too chatty, and it hurt to see other clans get new apprentices so quickly.

Something rammed into his side and he tumbled to the ground. Squeaking, he scrambled to his paws, fur fluffed out. A voice chuckled meanly. Puddlepaw turned to stare at his assailant, tail trembling in shock and a little bit of fright.

Puddlepaw felt his tail droop and his face frown when he realized the attacker was none other than the snickering FallenClan apprentice, Fuzzypaw. The short-legged gray tom with light green eyes sneered at Puddlepaw.

"Pfft!" Fuzzypaw put a paw to his muzzle. "You're such a scaredy mouse! Are all PondClan apprentices this pathetic?" His eyes glimmered. "Oh wait! You're the only one."

Puddlepaw flattened his ears and turned away from the annoying fur-ball.

"Hey!" Fuzzypaw snarled indignantly. "Don't ignore me!"

Puddlepaw continued to walk away, into the crowd of clancats. He knew there was no chance of getting to the apprentice's tree now. It was an unspoken rule that Fuzzypaw not find out about the apprentice's tree. Even Flintpaw, Darkpaw and Volepaw, Fuzzypaw's own brother, agreed. Now, Puddlepaw would just have to deal with the burr in his pelt.

Puddlepaw stopped beside a MoonClan warrior by the name of Mothshine. Last Puddlepaw had heard, she was in the nursery. Her kits must have become apprentices. Fuzzypaw trotted beside Puddlepaw, before glaring at the MoonClanner.

He sneered to Puddlepaw under his breath, whiskers twitching. "Really? I thought PondClan _hated_ MoonClan. Why are we even near her?"

 _'You decided to follow me,'_ Puddlepaw wanted to argue, but kept his mouth shut.

Puddlepaw's eyes slowly turned to Lizardstar. The ragged dark off-ginger brownish tabby she-cat was scrambling up the rock, fur wet from wading in the water surrounding it. She was having some difficulty pulling herself up the rock. But, with effort, she slinked in beside the other clan leaders. A white tom with black patches and light green eyes, Ryestar, leader of SpruceClan, was in the middle of all the clan leaders. On his right side, was a cat bigger than him, a scarred bright brown tabby tom called Copperstar, who was the leader of BrokenClan. Two she-cats where on the other side of Copperstar. One was the small and fluffy golden tabby she-cat with a white patch on her chest and amber eyes. She was Dawnstar, leader of the tempered RushingClan. Then, at the edge of the rock, was the fuzzy pale-ish tortoiseshell pale green-eyed she-cat, MoonClan's leader, Sweetstar. On the other side of Ryestar, a paw step away, was the large mostly white (from his face down to his paws) dark ginger tabby SullenClan leader with light amber eyes. The tom was named Spiderstar, the leader who had most definitely been in a secret relationship with a kittypet before letting her into the clan under the name Jaymoon, no matter how much he denied he had been in a forbidden relationship. The final leader beside Lizardstar was Briarstar, the scrawny pale gray she-cat with a white underbelly and pale brown eyes. She sat straight and defiant.

On the right side of the water that bordered the rock the leaders sat upon was the deputy's spot. The large white tom with a gray mask around his blue eyes was the SpruceClan deputy, Hailmask. Then the pale brown tabby tom of FallenClan called Brindlefoot, brother of Briarstar. A light ginger tabby she-cat with a tail marauding with scars was called Marigoldflight, deputy of SullenClan. Wishwing, a fluffy white she-cat, was the deputy of BrokenClan. Then was Puddlepaw's father, Mallowtooth, who's dark blue eyes were stuck on Lizardstar, watching with an emotion Puddlepaw couldn't quit place from this distance. The RushingClan deputy was Lightshade, the pale golden blue-eyed tabby she-cat. Lastly, was Sharpbranch, a muscular dark ginger tom with light yellow eyes, deputy of MoonClan.

The medicine cats laid in front of the water, and Heronburr, PondClan's medicine cat, had his paw hanging limply in the water. The other medicine cats preferred to stay a little further from the water. The dark gray tom with a lighter face and underbelly, Heronburr, looked like he was sleeping. The giddy medicine cat of SpruceClan, Foxskip, stood bright-eyed with her tail swishing. The clumsy medicine cat of FallenClan, a large-pawed white tom with gray spots on his flanks, called Hawkspots grinned sheepishly to his fellow medicine cats, fangs gleaming. Two golden cats stood next to him, and the mentor of the two laughed gleefully and good-naturedly. The other sat coldly beside the mentor. Those two were SullenClan's medicine cats, Beefrost and Goldenpaw. The oldest medicine cat was Shortsong of RushingClan, the stubby-tailed pale she-cat. Weedshine and Morningpaw, the medicine cats of MoonClan murmured to each other. One of the BrokenClan medicine cats, the tortoiseshell tom named Sniffnose, groomed himself contentedly.

Puddlepaw glanced around to find where the other BrokenClan medicine cat, Leaftail, would be. He located her chatting quietly with two SullenClanners. One was a scrawny, boney, thin pale brown tabby tom with dark green eyes whom Puddlepaw did not know the name of and an off-black she-cat with a lighter underbelly and dark yellow eyes, who Puddlepaw believed was the sister of Marigoldfight, Thistlefeather and Shining-something. Her name was Nettle-something. Leaftail's damp green eyes flickered to the side, out into the forest before she returned her focus to the SullenClan cats she was talking to. She gave them a wave of her tail and dismissed herself over to the other medicine cats.

"Cats of all Clans!" Spiderstar's voice boomed, silencing all the chatter of the cats. Everyone turned their attention to the seven leaders on the rock. "The Gathering has begun!" Spiderstar raised his head head, white fur shining against the dark ginger. "SullenClan will report first." He curled his long tail around his paws. "Our borders are well marked and prey is running well. We are prosperous, and our kits are kept strong and our apprentices trained." His light amber eyes shone brightly and his white chest fur fluffed proudly. "That is all."

Briarstar dipped her head and shifted forward. "All is well in FallenClan. We are thriving and our tunnels are as strong as us." Her brown eyes flickered to Copperstar, who straightened up stiffly. Ryestar sent his ally a confused glance. "Poppyjump's kits are due soon. That's all FallenClan has to say." She dipped her head at Lizardstar, offering for her to go next. Lizardstar's bones seemed to creak as she raised her head, her eyes glazed. Her voice rasped with sickness as she spoke.

"PondClan is swimming with the strength of otters," Lizardstar began. "Willowchill has given birth to five healthy kits." Her eyes twitched. "Gillkit, Frecklekit, Waterkit, Salamanderkit and Duckkit."

The clancats began to murmur and a few called out congratulations to Willowchill and Ivyblaze and to the new kits.

"Five kits?" Fuzzypaw mewed from beside Puddlepaw. "I didn't know PondClan was so busy!" Puddlepaw rolled his eyes, but Fuzzypaw continued. "And to think, they're all _healthy,_ and your siblings weren't!" Puddlepaw gave him a glare, before turning back to the leaders.

Lizardstar had finished her report by the time Puddlepaw refocused on her, and Dawnstar began to report next.

"Redpaw, Sootpaw and Rushpaw have been apprenticed under Ravenshriek, Squirrelflame and Curlflame respectively."

Cats began to call out the new apprentices names, and Puddlepaw yowled out their names as well. Fuzzypaw just groaned, as if the calling of the new apprentices' names was annoying him.

Sweetstar reported next. "MoonClan has many new additions. We have two new warriors, Pricklefur and Creamstripe. Their daughter, Stonepaw, along with Harepaw and Shiningpaw, are now apprentices!" The clancats called their names out as well, although some stayed silent.

Fuzzypaw's whiskers twitched. "They let more rogues into their clan," he growled, eyes glaring at Sweetstar.

"It's none of our business what MoonClan, uh, does," Puddlepaw informed him waspishly.

Fuzzypaw's fur spiked. "Yes it is! MoonClan doesn't belong!"

Mothshine gave Fuzzypaw a glare and Puddlepaw murmured an apology to her.

Sweetstar continued. "Sunnybelly has had her kits as well; Blossomkit, Thrushkit, Rumblekit and Frondkit. Hollyjaw has moved into the nursery, expecting Feathernight's kits." The clancats called out their names as well. Puddlepaw felt a prickle of unease run through him. MoonClan was ever-expanding, and PondClan... PondClan was still few in numbers, even with the new additions of the kits.

Ryestar was the next to report. His report was of the typical, "SpruceClan is well", though he announced some new apprentices as well, Tansypaw and Snowpaw. Next and lastly went Copperstar, who reported vaguely the same thing.

At the end of the announcements, the cats below the rock began to break into soft murmurings, getting in last conversations before their clans departed. Puddlepaw caught a SpruceClan cat and RushingClan cat hissing at each other, claws unsheathed. A SpruceClan she-cat trotted over and nudged her clanmate, and the tension of between the RushingClan cat and SpruceClan cat faded. Other cats sent dark glares at cats from enemy clans. FallenClan and PondClan, as well as BrokenClan and SpruceClan seemed the most friendliest towards each other.

Fuzzypaw butted Puddlepaw's shoulder. He had a scowl on his face. "I'm borrrrrreed." He whined.

Puddlepaw felt strong displeasure rise within him. Did he think he was a kit deserving attention from his parents? Puddlepaw's tail quivered. "So?" He responded.

Fuzzypaw's light green eyes flared. "I wanna do something!"

Puddlepaw rolled his lake-blue eyes. He didn't give Fuzzypaw a response this time, simply slipped into the crowd. Fuzzypaw tailed him. Puddlepaw's gaze searched for some familiar cat to talk to, or just be around. His eyes caught on two unfamiliar young cats, some of the new apprentices. One was white with odd red-pink eyes and the other was a pale brown and white tom with wide, warm amber eyes. The two giggled together and the she-cat nudged the tom's shoulder, and he flushed, before mumbling a response. Puddlepaw's gaze kept going until it landed on Driftnose, a black and white tom with blue eyes, a former RushingClanner, now a MoonClan elder. He was talking to Kes, a former kittypet who had chosen to reside in MoonClan in her final days and Mockingjaypelt.

Puddlepaw approached the elders, but Fuzzypaw stomped on his tail. "Yow!" Puddlepaw hissed, wiping around to face the flea in his pelt. "What was that for?"

"Elders? Really?" Fuzzypaw frowned. "They're boring!"

Puddlepaw gave a sighed out a hiss. "Ugh-uh, I find them interesting." _'They're better than you.'_

Fuzzypaw spiked out his gray fur. "Elders aren't interesting!" Fuzzypaw growled, scrunching his nose.

Puddlepaw was about to retort when one cat slinked past them, head low and ears flat. His eyes followed the cat, the off-black she-cat who had been talking to Leaftail previously. Fuzzypaw noticed his distraction and eyed the cat warily. The she-cat crept off into the bushes, barely rustling them.

"Well, isn't she suspicious," Fuzzypaw chuffed, raising a paw and running it over his whiskers. Puddlepaw twitched his ear in agreement, and, although his curiosity peaked, he knew it was not his business what a SullenClan cat was doing. Puddlepaw turned back to the elders and began trotting over to them. Fuzzypaw, once again, cut him off.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Fuzzypaw glared lightly at him. "You're just gonna go talk to elders and _not_ investigate what Nettlepool is doing?"

Puddlepaw paused. "Yeah."

Fuzzypaw looked aghast. "You really are a boring mouse!" He whacked his paw against the side of Puddlepaw's head and Puddlepaw jerked back, offended.

Fuzzypaw fluffed out his tail. "Come _on._ Nettlepool's the jealous type!" Fuzzypaw's eyes were bright. "What if she's in some half-clan relationship? What if she's trying to pull a Tinystar?" Puddlepaw felt his fur rumple at how _dismissively_ mentioned Tinystar. Tinystar! Former PondClan leader! Embodiment of evil! He almost destroyed SullenClan and FallenClan and SweetClan! Maybe he did destroy SweetClan! Who knows? And here Fuzzypaw was... not caring? Did he not care about what Tinystar had once made PondClan do? Did he not... Why did no one care about Tinystar, about Tigerleaf, about Cherrypelt, about any of those ambitious traitors? How could nobody care?

"I-" Puddlepaw stammered.

Fuzzypaw lashed his tail. "You're no fun. Well, if you don't wanna discover the second Tinystar, then stay out of my fur!"

 _'_ Second _Tinystar?'_ Puddlepaw thought. _'Try the tenth.'_

There had been so much evil since the time of Tinystar. Could any cat keep track? Was it even worth keeping track? ...Is that what the other clans had done? Stopped counting? Is that why they couldn't remember... Puddlepaw couldn't recall any evil FallenClanners or SpruceClanners. Had they even had any? Did Sweetstar count? She was a former SpruceClanner who went against her clan and started a new clan all together. That was similar to Cherrypelt's case. Except Cherrypelt wanted to demolish PondClan forever and Sweetstar wanted to create an alliance to protect all the clans like a StarClan in the waking world.

Fuzzypaw fidgeted nettledly as he waited for a response, and his scowl got deeper. "We don't have all day, Puddlepaw."

Puddlepaw sighed, feeling thoroughly annoyed by the FallenClan apprentice. "Fine, I'll go." _'If only to stop you from pestering poor Nettlepool.'_

Fuzzypaw gave a small hop on his toes and flashed a fanged grin. "Good! Glad you can see it my way. Come on!" He whipped around, gray tail slapping Puddlepaw on his pink nose. He dashed away, light on his paws, which was expected from someone who probably stealthed around a lot, spying on cats and being mischievous all around. He slipped into the bushes. To Puddlepaw's surprise, he clawed at a tree and began to pull himself up. Did FallenClan cats know how to climb? He didn't think so.

Puddlepaw trotted over to the tree Fuzzypaw had pulled himself up onto. Fuzzypaw layed low on a thick, sturdy branch. He glanced down to Puddlepaw.

"Coming up, or do PondClanners not know how to teach their apprentices how to climb?" Fuzzypaw sneered.

Puddlepaw's pelt pricked self-consciously. "No! Er- Perchmist is a great mentor. But, uh, PondClan cats swim, not, ah, climb."

Fuzzypaw rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just don't blow my cover." He slipped onto the next branch and slowly made away in the treetops. Puddlepaw crouched down and sidled through the brambles, careful not to catch his brown pelt on any of the brush. The gray fur of Fuzzypaw flashed between the dark canopy. Puddlepaw tracked the gray blur and followed it closely, careful not to crush any twigs beneath his paws.

They had barely taken ten pawsteps when a strong, sharp voice spoke.

"..yes," was all they got.

"So the clans are peaceful?" A tom's voice replied calmly, yet held a sinister undertone to it. The first sight of the voices' owners was the spikey off-black tail of Nettlepool. Her dark yellow eyes glared through the underbrush. Half of a cat was concealed in the bush. He was a lean, long-legged light gray tabby with darker patches and white flecks. His blue eyes stood out piercingly.

Puddlepaw felt a chill down his spine. He could already see where this is heading. This was what every tale of an ambition cat told him. Cats conspiring with one another to destroy the clans or take control of a clan. He didn't know if he wanted to be here. He wasn't qualified for saving the day. He didn't want to interfere. Besides, Nettlepool was a SullenClan cat, and the tom was... Based on his body type, Puddlepaw thought he might be RushingClan, but his hidden scent told him rogue.

Puddlepaw's lake-blue eyes flickered to Fuzzypaw's form in the trees. Puddlepaw had to admit, he was a good spy. The gray tom was stealthily hidden in the curling leaves. His light green eyes barely sparkled, blending in with the dry green of the leaves.

Nettlepool shuffled on her paws, her eyes flickering hesitantly. "This will promise MoonClan's demise?"

The tom's blue eyes flashed. "Of course. Your kits will be avenged." His long, white claws curled into the ground below and his fangs shimmered as he smiled deviously. Nettlepool's back fur bristled and her eyes hardened. Her muzzle twitched into the beginnings of a snarl. Unclear emotions stirred beneath her pelt. The tom waved his tail over the grass. He did not say anything as he stood up and turned away. He slipped between the trees, disappearing into the ferns. Puddlepaw's paws twitched to follow him.

Nettlepool let out a small sigh, rubbing a paw over her whiskers. She looked... tired. She stretched out her limbs, tail puffing and shaking. She shook her whiskers and twitched her black coat. Blankly, she padded through the bramble bushes. Puddlepaw stiffened up and moved a bit to the left as she brushed by. His heart beat wildly and his mind screamed at him that he shouldn't have listened to Fuzzypaw, and that Nettlepool would find him spying on her and then kill him.

But Nettlepool passed on by, not even sparing Puddlepaw a glance. She slipped out into the Gathering Place. Puddlepaw settled his heart down and slithered out into the clearing behind her.

Puddlepaw leaped into the air as something thudded behind him.

Fuzzypaw sneered and snickered. "Still a scaredy mouse, PondClan apprentice?"

Puddlepaw's fur bristled. "No! Uh." He snaked his white-tipped light brown tail. Fuzzypaw opened his maw to retort, but was cut off.

"SpruceClan! BrokenClan!" Ryestar called out from beside Copperstar, at the edge of the Gathering Place's territory. The two clans began to gather around the leaders. Hailmask traded words with the BrokenClan medicine cat apprentice, Leaftail, murmuring something back and forth. He twitched his tail tip irritably and stomped off while Leaftail rolled her eyes. Other cats swarmed about.

"SullenClan!" Spiderstar called out next, gathering his cats. RushingClan cats herded and circled them, suspicious of the cats who would cross their territory. Puddlepaw began to migrate towards them, since PondClan would be travelling with them, most likely.

"PondClan!" Mallowtooth echoed, as Lizardstar rasped beside him. "Gather!" Puddlepaw's father yowled. Puddlepaw didn't spare Fuzzypaw a fair well as he dashed over to his father's side. His father smiled warmly, and gave him a swift lick on the top of his head. Benjamin padded up beside them.

Puddlepaw's smile turned to a frown and he glanced worryingly over his shoulder, trying to spot Nettlepool. He found her hissing something to the scrawny, boney pale brown tabby tom with dark green eyes. A black tabby tom, an apprentice called Darkpaw, walked up to the brown tom, presumably his mentor. Nettlepool immediately shut up and scowled. She walked away angrily. The medicine cat apprentice of SullenClan, Goldenpaw, looked on interestedly.

Benjamin nudged him forward, and Puddlepaw realized PondClan, SullenClan and RushingClan had began moving forward. He let out a concerned, frustrated, anxiety-ridden sigh. This is what PondClan was trying to prevent. The rise of evil, ambitious, jealous cats, and here he was, throwing himself in the path of one. He had a feeling he couldn't just lie down and let it blow over. The severity of the situation would weigh down on him, until he eventually burst.

Stupid Fuzzypaw.

* * *

 **Lizardstar does have an eating disorder, probably the night eating disorder or the restrictive food intake disorder, I'm still researching them.**

 **Bonus Fact; At the end of the Third Arc, one clan will have been whipped out completely and another will have been forced to disband.**

 **Hint; I love leaving little background things. Some things that are relevant to the plot, or maybe just a side story. Who are some characters, not all are mentioned by name, that pop up frequently, or are just randomly spliced in?**

 **Leave a review or critique!**

 **-Lolling**


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